16GB of RAM is often considered to be a good amount for gaming on a PC. That said, depending on the type of games you’re playing, certain other factors may air on the side of preferring more RAM. Let’s look at the pros, cons, and potential issues when it comes to 16GB for a gaming PC.
The biggest advantage of 16GB RAM is the performance and speed boosts it offers. With 16GB RAM, you’ll be able to open multiple programs and applications simultaneously, reducing load times and thus producing a smoother gaming experience. Additionally, having 16GB RAM in your system will also allow you to stream and record games with ease, as well as multitask if desired.
Furthermore, 16GB RAM is an ideal amount to have if you plan on taking advantage of virtual reality (VR) gaming and performing various intensive editing tasks such as video or photo editing. At the same time, it is worth noting that 16GB RAM is more than enough for many users. If all you ever plan to do is game, 16GB RAM should suffice, as most current popular games shouldn’t push your RAM usage over 8GB.
On the other hand, there may be some cases where 16GB RAM simply isn’t enough. For example, if you plan to do a lot of streaming and recording, then 32GB RAM may actually be the preferable amount due to the amount of processes and applications that need to run in parallel. In addition, if you’re a particularly heavy multitasker or like to run multiple applications alongside your gaming, then 32GB RAM may help in reducing strain and giving you more memory headroom.
That being said, 16GB RAM cannot be considered bad for a gaming PC. If the games you play are not particularly memory-intensive, then 16GB RAM could be more than capable of providing you with the best possible gaming experience. Plus, it’s relatively easy to upgrade RAM if 16GB isn’t enough for your needs, as RAM prices today are at an all-time low.
Advantages of 16GB RAM
When it comes to gaming performance, the biggest advantage 16GB RAM offers is the speed and performance boosts. With 16GB RAM, gamers can open multiple applications simultaneously, reducing load times and producing a smoother gaming experience. When gaming online, higher RAM also allows players to process more data per second, which in turn reduces latency and gets rid of any lag-related issues. Additionally, with 16GB RAM, gamers can take advantage of VR gaming or multitask while they game.
Furthermore, 16GB RAM can accommodate most games quite well. Almost all current popular games should not push your RAM usage over 8GB, so 16GB should suffice even for gaming-heavy users. With 16GB RAM, users won’t have to worry about running out of memory going forward, assuming their games don’t become more memory-intensive.
Finally, upgrading RAM is usually a fairly simple process. RAM prices are now at an all-time low, making it easy and affordable to replace RAM chips or upgrade to higher amounts if you ever find 16GB RAM insufficient for your needs.
Disadvantages of 16GB RAM
The one downside of 16GB RAM is that it may not be sufficient in certain cases. If gamers are particularly heavy multitaskers, then 16GB RAM may not provide enough memory headroom, and thus, upgrading to a higher amount like 32GB RAM would be recommended.
Additionally, if gamers plan to stream and record their gaming sessions, then the extra processing may push 16GB RAM to its limits and 32GB RAM may be a better fit. Finally, some gamers may want to stream, record and play intensive games simultaneously, which again may push 16GB RAM too far.
Types of Games Suitable For 16GB RAM
Most games that don’t exceed 8GB of RAM should be manageable with 16GB RAM. Games like League of Legends, Overwatch, Apex Legends, and Fortnite, are all good examples where 16GB RAM should be more than enough.
Some more demanding games such as Call of Duty Warzone or Grand Theft Auto 5 may necessitate 16GB RAM, but herein lies a catch. As processors like the Ryzen 5xxx and Intel Comet Lake 10xxx processors come to the fore, game titles will require more and more RAM not just around these areas but all across the board.
It pays to invest in higher RAM in order to future-proof your system and avoid having to buy more at a later date. However, if you are able to verify the amount of RAM needed for your game titles of choice then you can safely go with 16GB RAM.
Verdict
Overall, 16GB RAM is usually a good amount for gaming on a PC. It has the advantages of being fast and efficient when running multiple applications, and is capable of delivering smooth gaming experiences. Additionally, it is an ideal amount to have if you plan on taking advantage of VR gaming and performing intensive editing tasks like video or photo editing or streaming and recording.
At the same time, 16GB RAM may not be enough if you’re particularly heavy multitasker or like to run multiple applications alongside your gaming, or if you plan to do a lot of streaming and recording, then 32GB RAM may actually be the preferable amount due to the amount of processes and applications that need to run in parallel.
In conclusion, gamers should first look into their game title list and determine how much RAM they plan on using in order to make the best choice for their gaming PC.
