In summary:
- PCWorld reports on Micro Center’s testing of single versus dual-channel RAM configurations using AMD Ryzen 9 8950X3D and Radeon RX 7970 XT hardware.
- Gaming performance varies dramatically between configurations, with some titles like Helldivers 2 showing up to 86% higher maximum FPS when using dual-channel RAM.
- While modern AMD Zen 5 architecture and DDR5 memory reduce single-stick performance penalties, dual-channel remains generally preferable for optimal gaming experiences.
Modern desktop PC memory modules are supposed to come in pairs. The reasons why are complex, but basically they work better that way—kind of like how internal combustion engines often come with even numbers of cylinders. But with RAM prices skyrocketing, you might be tempted to buck the conventional wisdom and go with a single stick of RAM. How might that affect gaming performance?
Micro Center, basically the last bastion of retail computer stores in the US, put this question to the test. They set up a desktop with an AMD Ryzen 8 9850X3D processor, a Radeon RX 9070 XT GPU, and a fairly typical 32GB DDR5 RAM setup in two sticks. Then, they pulled out one stick to test in a single-DIMM 16GB configuration. The Ryzen X3D processor is a crucial part of this—not only is DDR5 better than DDR4 at performing in single-DIMM setups, the Zen 5 CPU architecture should be able to allocate its resources better under the constraint.
The Micro Center team tested a handful of games, both recent and taxing, and the results are interesting. Some games, like Spider-Man Remastered, showed barely any change with the extra system RAM. Some, like Helldivers 2, showed a small boost in minimum FPS (5 percent), a healthy one for average FPS (35 percent), and a big boost at the max (86 percent). There are oddities in the results, like Baldur’s Gate III and ARC Raiders both seeing more than double the minimum FPS with relatively small gains at the maximum. I’ll add that all these tests were at 1080p with visuals set to high or ultra.
Unfortunately, this small sample size doesn’t yield any consistent predictions based on game. While I’d love to tell you that running a gaming PC with one stick of RAM is fine—as V-Color basically did with its fake RAM filler kits, also touting the benefits of new AMD processors—I can’t. Some games will have a negligible performance hit, some will have a huge one. It looks like the AI-driven RAM crunch will continue to frustrate PC gamers who don’t have unlimited funds.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 15-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.