DDR3 vs DDR4 vs DDR5: which RAM is worth most in 2026?

If you've got a stack of old RAM and you're wondering whether it's worth listing or worth binning, the answer depends almost entirely on which DDR generation you have. The market for each is wildly different right now. Here's how it breaks down in 2026.

Quick identification

Before pricing anything, work out which generation you have. The easiest signals are physical:

• DDR3: notch is roughly in the middle of the contact edge. 240 pins (desktop) or 204 pins (laptop SO-DIMM). Voltage label usually 1.5V or 1.35V.
• DDR4: notch is shifted left of centre. 288 pins (desktop) or 260 pins (SO-DIMM). 1.2V is standard.
• DDR5: notch shifted further left again. 288 pins (same as DDR4 — but they're not interchangeable, the notches differ). 1.1V default. Has a small power management chip (PMIC) on the stick — visible as a tiny extra component.

DDR3 — slow decline, scrap-tier for most modules

DDR3 launched in 2007 and was the mainstream desktop standard until ~2014. By 2026, demand for consumer DDR3 has fallen off a cliff: most secondhand buyers are running DDR4 or DDR5 builds. The only DDR3 still moving is server/ECC RDIMM, which keeps modest value because of the long tail of older Xeon-based homelabs and small business servers.

• Common consumer DDR3 (4–8GB UDIMM/SODIMM): low single-pound prices per stick. Often not worth shipping individually.
• Higher-density DDR3 (16GB UDIMM): mid-single-pounds.
• DDR3 ECC REG (server RDIMM): the most active DDR3 segment. 16GB and 32GB sticks have the best resale.

DDR4 — the workhorse, healthy resale

DDR4 (released 2014) is still the most common RAM in the secondhand market. The Intel 12th, 13th, 14th gen and most AMD AM4 systems use it. Resale stays steady because every hobbyist build, gaming PC, and small server still uses DDR4 sticks.

• Branded DDR4 from G.Skill, Corsair, Crucial, Kingston typically resells well — gamers prefer named brands.
• Generic / OEM DDR4 (Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron pulls from prebuilt PCs) sells at a discount but still has a market.
• DDR4 ECC REG (server) is in steady demand for homelab and SMB server upgrades.
• Speed bins matter less than capacity for resale — a 32GB 2666 stick generally sells for similar to a 32GB 3200 stick from the same brand.

DDR5 — top tier, prices still strong

DDR5 launched on Intel 12th gen Alder Lake (2021) and AMD Ryzen 7000 (AM5, 2022). It's still relatively new in the secondhand market, so supply is tight and prices reflect that. If you've got DDR5 lying around, this is the generation most worth selling.

• Even basic DDR5 16GB UDIMM commands a healthy resale price compared to its DDR4 equivalent.
• 32GB DDR5 sticks (especially 6000 MT/s and faster) are sought after for AM5 and Intel 13th/14th gen builds.
• DDR5 ECC RDIMM is rare and expensive — server-grade DDR5 has only just started arriving in volume.
• Speed and CAS latency matter more than for DDR4: a 6000 CL30 kit is meaningfully more valuable than a 4800 CL40 kit of the same capacity.

What we pay

Prices fluctuate weekly with the market, so the figures below are indicative bands rather than quotes — the live price list is always the accurate answer. As a rough guide:

• DDR3 consumer: scrap to ~£3 per 8GB stick depending on brand.
• DDR3 ECC REG 32GB: mid-range — server-grade pricing.
• DDR4 consumer 16GB: low-teens of pounds for branded sticks.
• DDR4 32GB UDIMM: solidly in the £20s.
• DDR5 16GB UDIMM: typically more than DDR4 32GB equivalent.
• DDR5 32GB UDIMM: best resale of any consumer module right now.

Selling tips by generation

• Pair sticks where possible — matched 2× or 4× kits sell faster than orphans because they preserve dual/quad-channel.
• Original boxes/spreader plates help, especially for gaming-brand DDR4 and DDR5.
• Anti-static bag is essential. RAM contacts oxidise quickly without one.
• If you're short on contacts that work, an old motherboard box or a sealed sandwich bag with all the air pressed out is fine for transit.