How much RAM should you have for Vista Premium?

[simon1980111]

How much RAM should you have for Vista Premium? Running an E8400, Radeon 2600XT, overclocking involved, light gaming....

 

[maximiza]

64 or 32 bitty?

 

[halcyon]

32bit or 64bit.

I'd say the general consensus for general use is 4GB either way.

 

[simon1980111]

sorry, 32 bit, hope its no more than 4 because that's what i'm going for the moment - does anyone know if theres any major diff in 5555 range latency vs 4444412 (i know that's a bit vague but you know what i mean) - how imprtant is latency, keep those commenst about ram coming in

 

[gaiden]

2-4gb. 3gb makes me laugh

i dont want to be mean or anything but it seems like you post questions without even doing the simplest bit of research yourself, and that makes your questions a bit moronic. to me that's just plain lazy. you rather sit around and wait for comments like mine (and other much nicer guys) than just type the same line on google and get the answers you need right then. i really dont mind dumb questions but i hate lazy ppl...

 

[halcyon]

Simon, memory is cheap enough that there's just no real good reason not to get at least 4GB. Yes, vista will run okay with 2GB but it will run much smoother with 4GB. As far as the timings, it does not really matter too much with an Intel processor, but technically 4-4-4-12 is faster than 5-5-5-15. So if you can get the lower timings that's great, but I'd not spend $20 more for them...it just doesn't make that much difference on an Intel based system. To state it simply, the CPU's large fast cache negates the need for super fast RAM.

 

[gamerk316]

For a 32 bit system, theres no point to going beyond 3GB RAM, because 32 bit systems can only access 4GB TOTAL (counting GFX card RAM and page file).

For 64 bit, you'd be better off with 4GB, Vista needs all the extra you can give it.

 

[huron]

2x2gb

 

[TwoDigital]

Overclocking is *MUCH* more unstable with all four DIMM slots used up. You'll want to keep to 2 slots x2gb each for that 4gb total (~3.25 addressable in x86 Vista.) Personally, I'm using Vista x64 w 8gb, but to each his own... I run several virtual machines on that workstation.

Also note that 3gb is usually 1gb x2 and 512mb x2... Having a third 1gb DIMM as the extra 1gb would break dual-channel.

 

[skittle]

Considering 4gb of DDRII 800 costs about half of what 2gb DDRII 667 did two years ago... I say go for 4gb!

 

[halcyon]

Overclocking is *MUCH* more unstable with all four DIMM slots used up. You'll want to keep to 2 slots x2gb each for that 4gb total (~3.25 addressable in x86 Vista.) Personally, I'm using Vista x64 w 8gb, but to each his own... I run several virtual machines on that workstation.

Also note that 3gb is usually 1gb x2 and 512mb x2... Having a third 1gb DIMM as the extra 1gb would break dual-channel.

Two, while I read that I've not seen it. Recently I've used an Asus Striker Extreme and now an Asus Rampage Formula, both with 4x2GB, Corsair XMS2 DHX and now OCZ HPC Reapers. I've not had any trouble overclocking them using an Intel E6850 and Q9450. Where does the instability generally show, or is it that my 500-800mhz overclocks are just too small for the this kind of instability to surface?

 

[th_username]

2 to 4gb is fine

 

[turtle1]

4gb. Ram is cheap these days.

 

[njalterio]

If you are using DDR2: Then get 3GB for 32 bit and go hog wild for 64 bit.

If you are using DDR3: Upgrade to 64 bit if you are using 32 bit, and get as much as you can afford once you have 64 bit.

 

[simon1980111]

Okay that settles it, 4 gig is for me, thanks for allthe helpful advice

 

[simon1980111]

2-4gb. 3gb makes me laugh

i dont want to be mean or anything but it seems like you post questions without even doing the simplest bit of research yourself, and that makes your questions a bit moronic. to me that's just plain lazy. you rather sit around and wait for comments like mine (and other much nicer guys) than just type the same line on google and get the answers you need right then. i really dont mind dumb questions but i hate lazy ppl...

ha ha get over yourself gaiden, if you don't like participating my threads then why read them?

 

[drzues]

2-4gb. 3gb makes me laugh

i dont want to be mean or anything but it seems like you post questions without even doing the simplest bit of research yourself, and that makes your questions a bit moronic. to me that's just plain lazy. you rather sit around and wait for comments like mine (and other much nicer guys) than just type the same line on google and get the answers you need right then. i really dont mind dumb questions but i hate lazy ppl...

Forgive me Gaiden but one symptom of being a moron is ignorance so please excuse me if my response isn't up to par with your obvious superior intellect, but isn't conversing through forums such as this a form of research? or are the people from your planet born with the answer to every question? and how is that not mean? are insults a form of flattery on your planet? And who do you think "sits around and waits for comments like yours?" You don't mind dumb questions but you hate lazy people?! Isn't your lazy ass in front of a computer screen right now?

 

[halcyon]

Computer...$300 and up

Internet connection...$10 and up

Your favorite beverage...65 cents and up

The following quote ...priceless...

Forgive me Gaiden but...Isn't your lazy ass in front of a computer screen right now?

 

[MaD]

2gb will be fine for 32bit
4gb to run 64 bit nicely

 

[Uberwolf]

This really depends on what you use your system for and what apps you want/need running in the background all the time. I have yet to come across a game that benefited from more than 2GB's of RAM. If you are going for 4GB it should be 2x2, not 4x1, so if you already have 2X1GB in there and are running a 32-bit install I'd leave it unless you really want to spend the money for 2 new 2GB chips for little or no performance gain. I doubt sticking in an extra 1GB chip would help.

 

[halcyon]

2GB if fine ...for XP 32-bit. I think its a little short for Vista 32bit, more akin to XP with 512MB. One of your important goals with the added memory is to minimize the need for the OS to page. With 4GB there a lot less need to page, and in XP32bit you could remove the pagefile altogether in most typical scenarios. I know that in Vista64 with 8GB I can, just as THG published in 02/08 (I believe it was February), completely remove the page file and have no ill effects even with nearly all of the RAM used.

Reduced/eliminated need for/use of the page file has always been a major motivation for me to add memory. Now, with the price where it is there's little excuse not to.