DDR5 is only about $20 more than DDR4 now.

Yes, as of early 2025 a 32GB DDR5 kit runs roughly $90–$110, while a comparable 32GB DDR4 kit is around $60–$80. That $20–$30 gap is small enough that you shouldn’t overthink it.

Two years ago DDR5 was double the price. Now it’s basically a rounding error in a full build. If you’re building a new PC with a current-gen CPU (Intel 12th-gen and up, AMD AM5), just go DDR5. The performance uplift in bandwidth-heavy tasks is real, and you’re not saving enough to justify locking yourself into yesterday’s RAM.

The only case for DDR4 in 2025 is an upgrade to an existing DDR4 system, or a super-budget build where every dollar counts. Even then, I’d stretch for DDR5 if the motherboard supports it – future upgradability is worth more than saving twenty bucks now.

Don’t let a $20 difference paint you into a corner.