Does DDR5 use significantly more power than DDR4 for gaming?

Yes, DDR5 draws more power than DDR4, but the difference is negligible for gaming—roughly 1–2W per stick at idle and 5–8W under load, which is only a 1–2% increase in total system draw. You won’t notice it on your electric bill or cooling needs. The GPU and CPU are the real power hogs, so choose based on price and performance instead.