With prices for DDR5 memories reaching high levels in early 2026, the PC community is looking for viable alternatives to keep gaming up to date without breaking the budget.
An impressive example of this resistance of the hardware legacy comes from the channel RandomGaminginHD, who set up a PC Gamer with DDR3 memories to run Cyberpunk and other modern AAA titles with surprising fluidity. The experiment uses a platform considered obsolete by many, but which still delivers competent results.
Their system is based on the legendary processor Core i7-4790K da Inteloriginally released in 2014, combined with 32GB of DDR3 memory and a GeForce RTX 2060 Super GPU from NVIDIA.
The total estimated cost of assembling this configuration on the international used market is around US$300 (around R$1,740 in direct conversion, without fees and taxes), a value lower than that of many new generation memory kits.
Haswell’s performance in 2026
The focus of the test was to verify whether the old architecture, limited by the speeds of DDR3 memory (running at 1866 MHz), would cause severe bottlenecks in current games. To the surprise of those who follow the evolution in PC Gamesthe setup managed to hold averages close to or greater than 60 FPS in most scenarios.
The use of upscaling and anti-aliasing technologies such as Dlaahelped ease the load on the processor, transferring responsibility to the graphics card.
According to tests published by the YouTuber, the system coped well with the requirement for heavy titles. Cyberpunk 2077known for its CPU demand, ran at an average of almost 60 frames per second.
Competitive games like Counter-Strike 2 e Fortnite surpassed the 100 FPS barrier, proving that the platform is still suitable for the casual e-Sports scene.
Below, check out the complete performance table obtained in the tests:
| Games | FPS (average) | FPS (1% lows) | Graphic Configuration and Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baldur’s Gate 3 | 57.9 | 31.7 | High, 1080p, DLAA |
| Battlefield 6 | 69.7 | 46.2 | Medium, 1080p DLAA |
| Counter-Strike 2 | 117.9 | 50.4 | High, 1080p, 4x MSAA |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 59.8 | 35.4 | High preset, high textures, medium crowds, 1080p |
| Fortnite | 115.2 | 41 | Medium, 1080p, TAA |
| GTA V Enhanced | 69.6 | 50 | Very High RT, 1080p, DLAA |
| Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 | 72.2 | 43.4 | High, 1080p, SMAA 2TX |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 72.3 | 51.7 | Ultra Textures, all else medium, TAA medium, 1080p |
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Cost-benefit in the memory crisis
The main advantage of this approach is cost. While a single stick of DDR5 memory can be expensive due to reported shortages in the global market, 32GB of used DDR3 can be found for approximately US$40 (around R$230).
Adding this to a Z97 motherboard and the i7-4790K, the set offers an affordable gateway. Although the “1% lows” (sudden frame drops) are more noticeable than on modern systems, the overall experience remains playable.
For those on a tight budget, turning to the used market and old platforms like the LGA 1150 proves to be a valid strategy.
The longevity of the i7-4790K, even 12 years after its launch, demonstrates how the evolution of silicon has slowed down in certain aspects, allowing older hardware to breathe for longer.
Fonte(s): RandomGaminginHD
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Source: https://www.adrenaline.com.br/hardware/i7-4790k-ddr3-cyberpunk-300-memorias-ddr5/
