Is RAM that important...

[beavereater]

I read this:

It's said that you can never have enough money, and the same seems to hold true for RAM, especially if you do a lot of graphics-intensive work or gaming. Next to the CPU itself, RAM is the most important factor in computer performance. If you don't have enough, adding RAM can make more of a difference than getting a new CPU!
If your system responds slowly or accesses the hard drive constantly, then you need to add more RAM.

Just outta curiosty, how much RAM is normal these days. I have just 256...thats because I bought a bunch of other crap (Well not crap) with it. I thought my PC specs were good...but I guess I may need to splurge and get me some RAM!! Any thoughts...

[Tommyknocker]

I like to think of RAM as workspace. No matter how fast your system is, if you haven't maxed out you RAM installed, your system is not as fast as it can be.

[IAIHMB]

I'd upgrade to at least 512MB if I were you, it's back to school time, everything is a little bit cheaper, the more the better. :P

[beavereater]

Alright...gonna check out prices and install some RAM tonight...if its cheap enough. I should've gotten way back when...oh well!

[redwudz]

I think 512MB is a good size. Depends somewhat on the motherboard.

Some that use RAM for onboard video purposes grab a chunk of it. I put a system together with on board video that took 35MB away from my RAM total. Had to up it to 256MB from 128MB for XP to be happy. (Not a video computer set up for video work or gaming)

I have 1024MB on my video computer and really didn't notice any increase in performance from 512MB.

[Faustus]

512mb to 1gb average for an upwards end machine is my rule of thumb. Its more thenjust never having enough, because after about 1gb most people see deminishing returns for their RAM dollars.

256 = not enough these days. The OS alone will take the greater hunk of that on bootup.

[mujahid7ia]

512mb to 1gb average for an upwards end machine is my rule of thumb. Its more thenjust never having enough, because after about 1gb most people see deminishing returns for their RAM dollars.

What's this I hear about having too much RAM? Can it slow your PC's performance?

[gitreel]

No

You just don't see the benefit as the extra ram will never be used.

[offline]

You just don't see the benefit as the extra ram will never be used.

This all depends on what you are using your computer for.
If you are programing in multiple high level languages you
need more than average memory, same deal if you are
working in 3d graphics or running a NAS under pressure.

1 to 1.5 gig will soon be the standard but you can
survive on 256k depending on what you need to do. Of
course, as others have inferred, the law of
deminishing return begins to set in after 2 gig.

[ViRaL1]

OS is also something to take into account. I've heard on more than one occasion that Win98 for example can't really take advantage of anything over 128MB, even though it can see it. I have 1GB in my main system 512 in my noteboook, and although I don't do high-end graphics or development, I've never even come close to maxing out my RAM in Task Manager, even without a swap file. Things will progress and as more people have more memory standard on their PCs, code bloat will set in and you'll need even more memory. For now unless you have something specific in mind that you NEED more than 512 or 1GB, there's no need to invest in more memory.

[Faustus]

Of course OS makes a difference, but most fairly modern PC should be able to address and manage quite a bit.

And of course it matters what you use the machine for, thats to be expected. I"m talking average user to power user here. Not programmer/graphic artist.

I stand by 512mb to 1gb for average user. Of course those new Powermacs can use upto 8gigs of the stuff....

[Conquest10]

Of course those new Powermacs can use upto 8gigs of the stuff....

Macs are a completely different thing. I always hear people with Macs talking about you need at least a gig to run a program. I run that perfectly fine on a PC with 190MB. Not to mention programs won't even open if you don't have enough RAM.

[Capmaster]

If you use Photoshop, get as much as you can afford. Photoshop gloms onto huge chunks of RAM

[zib]

I've got 512mb and that ain't enough when you open programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. at the same time. Those sorts of programs take up huge amounts of RAM. I guess you can never get enough of RAM. The more you got, the better it is. Kinda like cash. :P

[rallynavvie]

No, at some point you will have too much and most computers will have problems addressing it all. Unless you see that you are utilizing that much memory don't get it. I recommend at least 512MB, ideally for those who use design apps and the like 1GB. More if you are doing a lot of database and server work. I picked up 2GB so I could get more RAM preview time in After Effects and also so I could have more projects open at once on my computer.

I remember once upon a time adding RAM was the answer to many problems. I just don't see it being such a mainstream issue anymore. Most systems are built with adequate amounts.

[zib]

Anyone know what the maximum amount of RAM you can have on one PC?

[808smokey]

Anyone know what the maximum amount of RAM you can have on one PC?

1.21 giga watts

It all depends on the machine.

[DVD_Ripper]

512M is enough for the average user... for Video enthusiasts I think CPU 'umpf' is more important.

[mujahid7ia]

Anyone know what the maximum amount of RAM you can have on one PC?

Check you motherboard limits.

[indolikaa]

Here's what I'm using right now...


Machine 1: Athlon XP 2400+ with 512MB DDR333
* Capturing with ATI AIW 9000 Pro and editing with Cuttermaran.

Machine 2: Athlon XP 2400+ with 512MB DDR333, Shares 64MB with Onboard VGA
* Ripping DVD-RAM and editing with MPEG-VCR,
* Ripping audio programming from multiple sources.

Machine 3: Athlon 1200/266 with 768MB PC133
* Used for graphics (scanning/editing/printing) and games.

Machine 4: Dual Pentium II 333 with 256 EDO SDRAM
* Used for Internet, MS Office, and TMPGEnc encoding when needed


I can do everything I want to do with each machine and never feel like I'm running slow enough to need more RAM...

[BobV]

I would not run XP without 512 but 1024 is even better. If you do a lot video editing concider 1024 to be the minimum.

[dxj40c]

I've heard the Mac G5 dual processor Cpu can have up to 8GB ram.

[rallynavvie]

There are server chipsets that can handle 16GB. As I stated above you need to have a use for all of it otherwise you can actually lower your performance.

[beavereater]

If my RAM is PC 3200....I assume the 3200 is the speed
Anyway, if I buy another sim at a different speed...is that gonna screw with my machine!?

[888888]

If my RAM is PC 3200....I assume the 3200 is the speed
Anyway, if I buy another sim at a different speed...is that gonna screw with my machine!?

Check your motherboard. Some support several speeds but I don't think you can combine them, or you can but they will run at the slowest's speed.

Anyway, anybody buying a new computer nowadays should get 512 MB. There is no point getting any less.

[loconess]

I upgraded from 256 to 512 (pc3200). I havent noticed much difference( definitely no difference when using dvdshrink). CPU upgrade helped with shrink stuff
I had thought it would speed it up.
If you got the money, you can get the women, the respect, the power, and of course the RAM.
Too bad money cant make that girl running real.

[zib]

Anyone know what the maximum amount of RAM you can have on one PC?

1.21 giga watts

It all depends on the machine.

And what's giga watts in gigahertz?

[beavereater]

I check my mobo specs and it says PC3200 DUAL DDR RAM...by DUAL I am assuming (either having read about it or dreamed about it) that that's when you have 1 sim with both sides working as RAM, if that makes sense.

Anyway, bought 512RAM...gonna go drinking first!! When I get home, I will install it. NOW, this is not the first time I've installed RAM, but it's been a while. Can someone tell me, SHOULD I put the 512 in the first slot, or does "size matter"? :P

[studtrooper]

I check my mobo specs and it says PC3200 DUAL DDR RAM...by DUAL I am assuming (either having read about it or dreamed about it) that that's when you have 1 sim with both sides working as RAM, if that makes sense.

Anyway, bought 512RAM...gonna go drinking first!! When I get home, I will install it. NOW, this is not the first time I've installed RAM, but it's been a while. Can someone tell me, SHOULD I put the 512 in the first slot, or does "size matter"? :P

Unless your motherboard can run in dual channel (thus necessitating special ram placement to get it to work) the place where you stick your ram in doesn't matter. Since you will be inebriated when you do this though, try very carefully not to stick the DDR stick in backwards (you'll hear a nice big crunch, that'll be your stick being broke and probably the slot you tried to incorrectly ram it into)

[rallynavvie]

Whoa, they're not SIMMs anymore. They're DIMMs because they're double-sided. When installing the stick check your motherboard specs for optimal memory arrangements. If you have a board that supports dual channel RAM then there are certain ways you have to put two identical sticks in to have that work.

Oh, and there are also RIMMs