DDR4 RAM: the smart buy in July 2026 amidst soaring prices

The RAM market is going through a turbulent period. Driven by demand from AI data centers, DDR5 has seen its prices soar since late 2025: a 32GB (2 x 16GB) 6000 MT/s kit now retails for around €340 on Amazon France, a level not seen in years. In this context, the best deal in July may not be found among the latest technologies.

DDR4 remains (for now) unaffected

While DDR5 prices are skyrocketing, DDR4 kits remain significantly more affordable. A 32GB (2 x 16GB) 3200 MT/s CL16 kit could still be found recently for between €45 and €70, depending on the brand, from French retailers and community platforms like Dealabs. A 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3200 MT/s kit, sufficient for most 1080p gaming setups, goes even lower.

However, beware: several indicators show that DDR4 prices are also starting to rise, with stocks decreasing at some retailers. Global production is gradually shifting towards DDR5, which mechanically reduces DDR4 supply. If you have a compatible platform, waiting is probably not the best strategy.

Who is concerned by DDR4 in 2026?

DDR4 still concerns a huge portion of installed PCs and currently sold PCs:

• AMD AM4 platforms: Ryzen 5 5500, Ryzen 5 5600GT, Ryzen 7 5700X… all run exclusively on DDR4.
• Intel LGA1700 DDR4 platforms: many motherboards for i3-13100F, i5-12400F or i5-14400F are equipped with DDR4 slots, a choice that helps keep the overall machine price down.
• Upgrading an existing PC: going from 16GB to 32GB on a DDR4 machine remains the upgrade with the best comfort/price ratio, especially for multitasking and recent memory-intensive games.

Useful reminder: only AM5 platforms (Ryzen 7000 and later) require DDR5. If your motherboard is DDR4, there's no need to pay the high price for DDR5.

How to spot a real RAM deal

A few simple tips for buying at the right price during a period of rising prices:

• Compare several retailers: Amazon and Cdiscount practice dynamic pricing that varies from day to day, while LDLC, Materiel.net, and Top Achat are more stable but often a step more expensive.
• Monitor price history: a tool like Keepa allows you to verify that a displayed "promo" actually corresponds to a real price drop.
• Aim for the right kit: for DDR4, a 2 x 8GB or 2 x 16GB 3200 MT/s CL16 dual channel kit is the ideal balance between price and gaming performance.
• Avoid single channel: two identical sticks offer a real performance gain compared to a single stick of equivalent capacity.

Our advice for July 2026

If your current setup or future PC relies on a DDR4 platform, now is the time to buy or supplement your memory, before scarcity drives prices up as is already the case with DDR5. Conversely, if you are targeting an AM5 DDR5 platform, it's better to integrate the memory into the overall machine budget rather than buying it separately at a high price.

At DSGate, our gaming PCs assembled in France on AM4 and Intel platforms use DDR4 in dual channel, precisely to offer balanced configurations without breaking the bank. Discover our gaming PC configurations and enjoy machines designed for the best performance-to-price ratio of the moment.