If you're building or upgrading a PC in 2026, one question comes up again and again: should you buy DDR5 or stick with DDR4? Both are still widely available, both are excellent, and the right answer depends almost entirely on your motherboard and what you actually do with your machine. Here's a clear, no-nonsense breakdown from our team here in the UK.
The most important rule: your platform decides
Before anything else, understand this: DDR4 and DDR5 are not interchangeable. The modules are keyed differently and a DDR5 stick will not physically fit in a DDR4 slot. Your CPU and motherboard determine which one you can use, full stop.
Intel
Intel's 12th generation (Alder Lake) was the turning point. From 12th gen onwards (including 13th and 14th gen and the newer Core Ultra platforms), the memory controller supports DDR5. In the 12th/13th/14th gen era, motherboards came in two flavours: some boards took DDR4, others took DDR5, but never both at once. Always check the exact board's specification.
AMD
AMD drew a much harder line. The AM5 socket (Ryzen 7000 series and later) is DDR5 only. There is no DDR4 option on AM5. If you're on the older AM4 socket (Ryzen 5000 and earlier), you're using DDR4. Simple.
How much faster is DDR5, really?
On paper, DDR5 is a big leap. It starts where DDR4 tops out (around 4800 MT/s) and commonly runs at 6000-6400 MT/s, with kits pushing well beyond that. It also has higher density per module and improved power efficiency.
In the real world, the difference is more nuanced:
- Gaming: Usually a modest gain. At higher resolutions your graphics card is the bottleneck, so the difference between fast DDR4 and fast DDR5 is often small.
- Productivity and content creation: Here DDR5 shines. Video encoding, large compiles, 3D rendering and heavy multitasking benefit from the extra bandwidth.
- Latency: DDR5 has higher raw latency (CAS timings) than mature DDR4, but its much higher bandwidth more than compensates in most workloads.
When DDR4 is still the smart buy in 2026
DDR4 is far from dead. It's mature, fast, and excellent value. Choose DDR4 when:
- You already own an AM4 or a DDR4-only Intel board and just want more capacity.
- You're building a sensible budget or mid-range machine and want to put more money into the GPU.
- You're upgrading an office, home or HTPC system where raw bandwidth barely matters.
A solid 32GB DDR4-3200 or 3600 kit remains one of the best value upgrades you can make to an older system.
When DDR5 is the obvious choice
- You're building a brand-new system on AM5 or a modern Intel platform (it's your only option, or the better one).
- You do memory-hungry creative or professional work.
- You want the longest upgrade runway, since DDR5 is the standard going forward.
What about price?
DDR5 pricing has come down enormously since launch and is now very competitive, though DDR4 still tends to be a little cheaper pound-for-pound at the same capacity. For a new build the small premium for DDR5 is usually worth it; for an upgrade to an existing DDR4 machine, there's no reason to change platforms just for memory. All our pricing is in GBP and clearly listed.
The bottom line
Check your motherboard first. If it's AM5 or a DDR5 Intel board, buy DDR5. If you're on AM4 or a DDR4 board, DDR4 is the right, cost-effective call. Don't change platforms purely to chase memory benchmarks unless you have a specific need.
As a UK-based memory specialist we hold over 1,000 modules in stock across DDR3, DDR4 and DDR5, from brands including Crucial, Corsair, Kingston, G.Skill, Patriot, ADATA and Samsung. Orders are dispatched within 48 hours, every module is backed by our 2-year warranty, and UK delivery is free on orders over £250.
Ready to choose? Browse our DDR5 memory for modern builds, or our DDR4 memory for upgrades and value-focused systems.