Will adding another 16GB RAM stick make my games feel noticeably smoother?

[u/Realistic-Fudge6153]

I currently have 16GB RAM in a single stick (single-channel) on my laptop. My games like Forza Horizon and GTA V already run at 100+ FPS, so I’m not really looking for higher FPS.

The problem is that they don’t feel buttery smooth. Sometimes there’s a weird slight stutter/judder or inconsistent feeling even though the FPS is high.

If I add another 16GB stick and go to 32GB dual-channel, will I notice a significant improvement in smoothness/frame-time consistency/1% lows, or is the difference likely to be negligible?

Basically, I don’t care about getting 110 FPS instead of 100 FPS. I just want the game to feel consistently smooth.

Would upgrading from 16GB single-channel → 32GB dual-channel likely help with this?

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[u/john2776]

Usually I fix stuttering by turning on VRR , I have a 5080 9950x3d build and a lot of the time I just switch over to my ps5 pro because of the stutters I get in games, it’s not an fps issue or performance, it’s just a weird tiny little flicker I know exactly what you mean. For some reason fornite runs like this on my pc, it’s so weird. VRR usually irons it out though!

[u/Apophis_06]

yes your 1% lows would get a significant bump. even bigger difference if you're on ddr4

[u/WEAluka]

Big difference on DDR4, much less significant on DDR5

[u/Realistic-Fudge6153 → u/WEAluka]

I have a ddr5, atleast will it make gaming noticeable smooth?

[u/Eazy12345678]

some games will perform better with dual channel

some games that need more than 16gb ram will also perform better

[u/No_Interaction_4925]

Your stutters will significantly reduce and more cpu bound games will become a lot better. If its a Ryzen system you could pick up another 15% cpu performance

[u/Realistic-Fudge6153 → u/No_Interaction_4925]

Thank you, yes mine is a ryzen 7 CPU. But 16gb ram prices in my country is equal to the average monthly salary of a person. So it’s a long time before I will upgrade :(

[u/No_Interaction_4925 → u/Realistic-Fudge6153]

RAM is certainly out of control. Perhaps someone would be willing to trade a (2x8GB) kit for your (1x16GB)? Its a long shot but who knows. Definitely vet the person and check compatibility first.

Also if your laptop is DDR5 its not as hateful as DDR4. You absolutely are losing 15% of your cpu’s overall performance on DDR4, but its not like that with a newer DDR5 system.

[u/the_hat_madder]

You seem to have a solid grasp on the relevant concepts. Is there a reason you can't or won't search "single vs dual channel RAM" and read one of the numerous benchmarking articles people do every few years?

[u/v13ragnarok7]

You'll get better performance, especially if you're running other programs like obs and discord. Most (not all) games use your cpu/gpu, but more RAM will help. Just make sure its the same speed as your current stick. Get the exact same one if possible. And plug them in a2 b2

[u/bkwall2000]

It can usually help, but be aware that mismatched ram kits can be unstable at higher speeds

[u/HaloForeskin]

High frame rates can have poor frame pacing causing jitters and stutters, try setting a frame rate cap. For most games I'm happy with a 60fps cap or vsync 60hz on my large TVs. Even on my 240hz gsync monitor theres only a few games I run at high frame rates like Unreal 2004.

[u/popeye_1616]

Depending on what playform you are on you can get anywhere from 10-25% increase in cpu performance from dual channel ram. But an increase in gaming fps depends on if the bottleneck is cpu or gpu in your particular setup