Is DDR3 worth it? [closed]

Specific answer is NOT NOW for middle-low end systems

There are many benchmark tests that demonstrated the really small difference between DDR2 and DDR3.

This is one review made by a well-known site:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ram-speed-tests,1807.html

But consider that probably for $400 more there are other things to be considered? Better CPU, GPU, Motherboard, etc.

Think well to what are your today and future needs.

You aren't just paying the extra for the DDR3 memory (though it is more expensive than DDR2 by a fair chunk at the moment) you are also paying for the more expensive motherboard chipset with relevant support and a newer shinier CPU design. Also, as DDR3 is still considered high-end kit you'll probably find you are getting other higher end kit in the machine too (better GFX card, more expensive cooling components to cope with all of the above, bigger & faster drives, and so on).

You are also paying the "new tech" premium, so you will not be getting as good "value for money" by most measures - it is highly unlikely that you'll see a 30% increase in any benchmark score or subjective test in exchange for paying the 30% price hike.

For a mid-class gaming PC (ignoring that fact that "mid class" is a subjective term and assuming that it means the same to me as it does to you) I would say that a DDR2 system would be more than sufficient. For a single anecdotal data point, my 18+ month old AMD X2 with a not overclocked 3850 can play HL2Ep2 at my monitor's natural res of 1680x1050 with reasonable AA and AF settings, and you can get a noticeably faster system than mine while staying in the DDR2 arena. I would guess that a faster graphics card (I plan to get a 4870 or similar when I get a larger monitor that does 1920x1200 as I think the 3850 will show its limits more obviously in some cases at that point) will make far more difference then a jump in main-board memory tech, and now more games are taking advantage of multiple cores going quad might make more difference too.

Of course, if you want the fastest of the fast and money is no object, then a high-end DDR3 based system with all the other bells and whistles is the way to go, and you'll be able to play Crysis at full-high with AA and AF maxed at full-hd resolution at playable frame-rates. But I wouldn't call that "mid class"...