PC RAM drops for the first time: CPU-Z detects a shift towards 16 GB and DDR4

Although logic dictates otherwise, 16 GB is again close to 32 GB as the most common memory configuration. At least, those are the latest data from the CPU-Z validator, where computers with 16 GB of RAM already represent the 33% of validations12.9% more than a year ago. Those with 32 GB continue to lead, although they remain at 37.2% after falling 2.5%.

Doc TB, one of the developers of the tool, explains that it is the first time that the RAM capacity of PCs drops from one year to the next. And the decrease is not limited to 32 GB. The 64GB configurations drop 18% to 7.3%, and the 96 and 128GB configurations drop more than 26% each. On the opposite side, devices with 8 GB increase by 5.5% and already represent 11% of the total.

DDR4 regains ground against DDR5

The type of memory follows the same trend. DDR4 is present in the 54.5% of validations6% more than a year ago, while DDR5 drops 2.9% and remains at 32.9%. It must be taken into account that CPU-Z only collects the systems that the users themselves send to the validator, in this case during the last three months, so it is not a complete snapshot of the market. In fact, other statistics move in different directions. For example, Steam’s September survey placed 32GB ahead of 16GB among gamers, but in October the order was reversed again.

The data comes in a year in which the price of memory has skyrocketed, to the point that cases of theft of modules directly from PCs have appeared. Furthermore, the outlook does not point to an immediate improvement. Companies like Team Group estimate that the worst moment of the shortage will arrive between the fourth quarter of 2026 and the second quarter of 2027.

At the same time, it seems that DDR4 has a long way to go. There are already motherboards with this type of memory prepared for LGA1700 processors that Intel has not yet announced and that are expected in early 2027. GIGABYTE, for example, has already published the necessary BIOS for all its B760 and H610 boards, both in the versions with DDR4 and DDR5.