CPU-Z data shows 64GB PCs down 18% as RAM prices push buyers to 16GB
For the first time, average RAM in CPU-Z submissions fell year on year. DDR4 rose to 54.5%, AM4 boards grew 17.5%, and the Ryzen 5 5500 jumped 67%.
Stories on esportz.fun are written by the esportz.fun team under house pen names. About our authors
For the first time, the amount of RAM in PCs submitted to CPU-Z has gone down year on year. CPU-Z developer Doc TB posted the new statistics on November 6, 2026: systems with 32GB fell 2.5% and systems with 64GB fell 18%, while 16GB, 8GB and 24GB setups all grew.
The likely cause is memory prices. AI data centres are buying up DRAM supply, and builders are buying smaller kits and older platforms to cope.
What's confirmed
Memory size. The CPU-Z Validator's statistics page, comparing with a year earlier from November 1, 2026, shows:
- 32GB: 37.2% of systems, down 2.5%
- 16GB: 33.0%, up 12.9%
- 8GB: 11.0%, up 5.5%
- 64GB: 7.3%, down 18.0%
- 24GB: 2.3%, up 19.7%
- 48GB, 96GB and 128GB all fell by more than 20%
Memory type. DDR4 is in 54.5% of systems, up 6.0%. DDR5 is in 32.9%, down 2.9%. DDR3 still makes up 11.3%.
Platforms. AMD's older AM4 socket is the most common at 23.5%, up 17.5%, ahead of AM5 at 17.1%, down 1.2%. AMD's B550 chipset, an AM4 board, grew 35.2%. Older Ryzen chips are climbing the CPU chart: the Ryzen 7 5700X is up 42.8%, the Ryzen 5 5600 up 36.1% and the Ryzen 5 5500 up 67.3%. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is still the single most common CPU at 3.8%.
What the data is. VideoCardz notes that these figures come from systems submitted to CPU-Z's online Validator, not from every PC that runs the app, and not from sales. They show the mix of machines people choose to validate, which leans towards enthusiasts.
Context from the industry. TechSpot reports that the Steam Hardware Survey shows the same direction, with 32GB systems down 5.1% in a month and 16GB up 3.6%. It also cites TeamGroup CEO Chen Ching-wen saying RAM prices will keep rising, with the worst of the shortage from late 2026 to mid-2027. Tom's Hardware adds that AMD is re-releasing the Ryzen 7 5800X3D and that DDR4 boards are back in production. As both outlets note, DDR4 is still cheaper than DDR5, though both have risen.
Background
PC memory has grown with every generation. DDR4 arrived on desktops in 2014 and DDR5 in 2021, and for years the advice moved from 8GB to 16GB to 32GB for gaming. AMD's AM4 socket launched in 2017 with the first Ryzen chips and was meant to give way to AM5, which only supports DDR5. Now AM4 and DDR4 are growing again. That reverses the usual PC hardware cycle, in which the older platform fades steadily once the new one arrives.
My take: what it means for players
I think this is the clearest sign yet that RAM prices are changing what people can actually buy. A rise in 16GB and 24GB systems tells me builders are not giving up on gaming PCs. They are making careful trade-offs, and an AM4 system with a Ryzen 5 5600 and 16GB of DDR4 is the sensible budget build again.
For most games today, 16GB is still workable, and 32GB is comfortable. If you are building now, my advice is to buy a board with four memory slots so you can add RAM when prices fall, rather than overpaying for a 64GB kit today. If you already have 32GB, you are in a good spot.
For players in Malaysia and the rest of Southeast Asia, where prices often follow the US with a delay, the TeamGroup forecast is the warning to heed. We have not checked local ringgit RAM prices for this story, but nothing in this data, or in what memory makers are saying, suggests they will fall soon.
What we don't know yet
- Regional split. CPU-Z has not published memory changes by country.
- Prebuilt PCs. The data does not separate prebuilt machines from home builds.
- When prices fall. Memory makers have not committed to a date for prices to ease.
- Local prices. We have not verified current RAM prices in ringgit, Singapore dollars or pesos.
Quick facts
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Data source | CPU-Z Validator, year on year from November 1, 2026 |
| Most common size | 32GB (37.2%, down 2.5%) |
| 16GB | 33.0% (up 12.9%) |
| 64GB | 7.3% (down 18%) |
| DDR4 vs DDR5 | 54.5% vs 32.9% |
| Most common socket | AM4, 23.5% (up 17.5%) |
| Fastest-rising CPU in top 10 | Ryzen 5 5500, up 67.3% |
FAQ
Is 16GB of RAM enough for gaming in 2026?
For most games, yes, though 32GB gives more headroom. CPU-Z data shows 16GB systems grew 12.9% in the last year as prices rose.
Why are fewer PCs using 64GB of RAM?
Memory prices have risen sharply because AI data centres are buying a large share of DRAM supply, so builders are choosing smaller kits.
Is DDR4 still worth buying?
For a budget build, many people think so. DDR4 is still cheaper than DDR5, and CPU-Z data shows DDR4 systems rising to 54.5%.
Does CPU-Z data show all PCs?
No. It only covers systems that users submit to the CPU-Z Validator, which leans towards enthusiasts.
More: TeamGroup's CEO says RAM prices will not fall before late 2028.
Sources: CPU-Z Validator (CPUID); Tom's Hardware; VideoCardz; TechSpot.
