PCPARTHUNT

DDR4 or DDR5: what your motherboard takes

Updated 5 October 2026

DDR4 and DDR5 memory are keyed differently and will not fit in each other's slots. Your motherboard decides which one you buy.

Which platforms use which?

AMD AM5 boards (for example A620, B650, X670, B850, X870) take DDR5 only. AMD AM4 boards (for example B450, B550, X570) take DDR4 only.

Intel LGA1700 boards for 12th to 14th generation processors come in both kinds, so the board model decides. Intel LGA1851 boards for Core Ultra desktop processors take DDR5 only.

How do you check your board?

Look up the exact model on the maker's site and read the memory line of the spec sheet. On our motherboard pages the memory type is listed in the specs when the store title states it, and you can filter the motherboard list by memory type.

How much memory is enough?

16 GB handles games and everyday work. 32 GB helps if you edit video, run virtual machines or keep many apps open. Buy a matched kit of two sticks so the memory runs in dual channel.

More guides

All guides
How to pick a graphics card for your budgetStart from your monitor, then check memory, power and size before you compare prices.Which power supply wattage do you need?Add up the processor and graphics card, allow for the rest, then leave headroom.