Help with recommendation of MAX RAM needed?

[mickael28]

Hello guys,

I was going to get a new laptop and I was not quite sure about what my requirements could be, mainly regarding memory (and processor as well)?

Basically I tend to use the computer for:
* driving 2 external monitors (plus the built-in laptop monitor)
* open quite a lot of browsers for researching, something like 3 instances of chrome and 3 instances of firefox with maybe up to 30 tabs each, ie, we are talking about a maximum maybe of 200 pages simultaneously (this is because some researches take a couple of weeks even so the laptop just keeps hibernating and I tend to not close many windows until the end)
* loading a couple of heavy PDFs, maybe like 100MB PDF files that at the moment seem to even freeze a desktop workstation with 8 cores and 8GB of RAM.
* open a few light applications like Adobe Dreamweaver
* 4 or 5 excel sheets
etc

I was reading comments where some people mentioned that a lot of people won't feel much difference when upgrading the RAM but as said above, I'm sometimes working with a 8-core HP Z420 workstation with 8GB of RAM and the system doesn't become too responsive every now and then.

Do you think that with these needs you'll definitely see a difference by getting a laptop with 16GB? Would this be enough or in this scenario is better to go for 32GB?

And regarding the processors, I've seen that most laptops are still Quad machines, rather than a dual quad machine like the desktop that I currently use. Would it make a big difference downgrading the number of processors to half? I wanted a laptop this time to help with flexibility but not sure if it'd be able to handle all those simultaneous windows opened for quite a few days...

Many thanks for the advice...

 

[Tradesman1]

I think I'd go 16GB since you are a heavier user, on a laptop a quad should suffice

 

[mickael28]

Thanks Tradesman, I've never gone above 8GB so not sure if you'll notice much difference.

16GB laptops are ok, but 32GB ones are quite expensive still, do you think I'll notice any/much difference between 16GB or expending almost double for 32GB?

 

[Tradesman1]

That would depend on the apps and data sets you use are involved with, think one reason many move to 32GB is primarily they are on a desktop compute (and often dual monitors) so more likely to expand the number of Apps open in part due to available screen space...I know I seldom use a laptop as I would a desktop, but that's me, the power just isn't there

 

[mickael28]

I see what you mean now. This was going to be a desktop replacement with 2 Full HD external monitors plus another Full HD laptop screen so I think I'll might end up opening quite a lot of things.

I'm going to have another look at 32GB models to see what's available.

Do you know why any chance a desktop PC which could support 32GB but it's not a massive 25Kg workstation? We don't have much physical space and if there's like a mini pc which is kind of powerful that could work out as well...

 

[turkey3_scratch]

I just want to mention something, MAKE SURE if your processor has built-in Intel Graphics that it has the capability to support 3 full HD monitors.

 

[mickael28]

Could there be a limitation in the processor? what should I check specifically? I was just checking the specs of the built-in monitor (to make sure it had the correct resolution).

For the external monitors I was thinking, in the worst of the cases (as I'm not sure laptops can support a couple of simultaneous video outputs), to use one of those USB to VGA converters... I'm using one now and for the kind of jobs I do it's quite decent.

 

[Tradesman1]

Most decent laptops can support a dual monitor setup, and might well want to look into 32GB

 

[turkey3_scratch]

Could there be a limitation in the processor? what should I check specifically? I was just checking the specs of the built-in monitor (to make sure it had the correct resolution).

For the external monitors I was thinking, in the worst of the cases (as I'm not sure laptops can support a couple of simultaneous video outputs), to use one of those USB to VGA converters... I'm using one now and for the kind of jobs I do it's quite decent.

Not exactly a limitation on the processor but the graphics processing unit built-in to it (assuming yours is built-in, but it might be external). For example, Intel HD Graphics only supports 2 displays max (though I also assume you have better graphics than that).