CPU-Z data shows 16GB RAM gaining ground while 32GB and 64GB RAM shares decline

PCs with 32GB and 64GB of RAM are becoming less common, at least in the latest CPU-Z Validator statistics. According to Doc TB, one of the developers behind CPU-Z, this is the first time that the RAM capacity of PCs has decreased from year to year. 32 GB remains the most popular configuration with 37.2% of validations, even if its share is down 2.5% compared to a year ago. 64GB was hit much harder, dropping from 18% to 7.3%. Lower capacities move in the other direction, with 16GB up 12.9% to 33.0% and 8GB up 5.5% to 11.0%, while the 96GB and 128GB configurations are down over 26% each. Memory type tells a similar story, with DDR4 now accounting for 54.5% of commits, up 6.0%, while DDR5 fell 2.9% to 32.9%.

Of course, these figures only cover systems that users have actually submitted to the validator in the last three months, so they don’t give a complete picture of the PC market. Steam’s September survey, for example, showed 32GB overtaking 16GB as the most common configuration among gamers, but that quickly reversed with the October survey. Still, the timing makes sense. Memory prices have risen sharply this year, and Team Group expects the worst of the shortage to occur between the fourth quarter of 2026 and the second quarter of 2027. DDR4 platforms could also see a second wind, with DDR4 motherboards for unannounced LGA1700 processors expected in early 2027. It appears many people are sticking with older DDR4 systems or settling for 16GB instead of pay current prices.