2GB vs 4GB Ram??

[alexpollard]

Given the silly price of DDR2 ram at the moment I am wondering whether it is worth upgrading my 2GB Corsair 6400 CAS4 memory by adding another pair. I paid about £150 for that 2GB and I now see it is less than £50 at Scan!

I am currently running Windows XP but have a copy of Vista 64bit (which I installed and promptly uninstalled). Will the extra 2GB make the slightest bit of difference or should I spend the money as part of a 8800GTX?

Thanks

[Agent]

It won't make a huge difference under any 32bit OS (Search the forums if you want reasons), plus you won't be able to use it all anyway (usually just over 3gig-ish)

If you go 64bit however, 4GB is fast becoming standard (IMO) given the stupidly cheap prices

[Clarky]

Yesteday I upgraded from 2 to 4 GB and hardly see the difference. I'm using Geil 800mhz CAS-4 not overclocked. It's a personal choice really.

If you plan on getting the latest games and playing them at full whack you need to have a 8800GTX. Otherwise I'm sure you would see more benefit from the ram. Unless your using an onboard VGA?

[alexpollard]

Yesteday I upgraded from 2 to 4 GB and hardly see the difference. I'm using Geil 800mhz CAS-4 not overclocked. It's a personal choice really.

If you plan on getting the latest games and playing them at full whack you need to have a 8800GTX. Otherwise I'm sure you would see more benefit from the ram. Unless your using an onboard VGA?

Thanks for the info. I am actually running an 8800GTS 320mb which I have put on ebay as I was really dissapointed with the results on Crysis. I guess nothing has the power at the moment to play the game but I expected more from a £190 card. Live and learn I guess. Now all I have to do is make sure the wife doesn't find out...

Perhaps I should stop looking for ways to blow my hard earned cash!

[pendulum666]

I guess its one of those things where perhaps a year down the line, 4gig will be more standard and might start being utilised more. I mean it already is utilised depending on what you do with your system - not everything is limited to gaming. Given the cheap price at the moment, if you have the cash then it would be rude not to I think.

[0iD]

Vista x64 needs it & so do a lot of new games. Plus the current low cost is in your favour. I've run Vista x64 now for some time with only one issue with my x-fi card. Apart from that i actualy like it.

[Zak33]

It won't make a huge difference under any 32bit OS (Search the forums if you want reasons), plus you won't be able to use it all anyway (usually just over 3gig-ish)

ohh.. gotta word it a bit stronger that the Master here

XP32bit only sees 3.2 gig of my 4 gig, but it was notably better on my Quad core for virtually everything than simply 2 gig.

Folding is better, Film Making, even with Microsoft Moviemaker, multiple games running is vastly better (yes I have Lineage2 running, while playing other games AND have Moviemaker running in the background AND 2 or 3 spread sheets)

4 gig (or 3.2 as a 32bit OS sees it) is worthy

Agent was hinting at that, but I'm gonna be blunt. Do it

[aidanjt]

Crysis is insanely RAM hungry, 4GB is recommended by the developers, and I'm inclined to agree, Crysis was hitting the pagefile harder than a bunker buster hitting an Iraqi underground hideout.

[GSte]

Vista x64 needs it & so do a lot of new games.

Which games mate out of interest? My bro had vista for a few weeks before he burnt it and returned to XP, and in that short time he said that although people talked of games needing 4GB, the only one he found was supcom, and even that only needed like 2.3GB or so...... but I am interested to know because I will be switching to Vista soonish I think, and would also like to capitalise on the cheap DDR2 prices if neccessary.

[Lucio]

Interestingly, despite everyone complaining that Vista will constantly fill their memory, with 4GB RAM installed on Vista 64bit I'm seeing a typical useage of 31% AND that's with F@H set to about 90%.

[RRRuss]

Vista64 is definitely more responsive with 4GB.

I think given the price of RAM at the moment, you would be silly not to go for 4GB. The only harm it will do is possibly reduce your ability to overclock as far as a 2GB system would... which I'm sure I read somewhere?

[F1ZZY]

My 2c

If you have (or like) Vista 64, and have quad core and GTX or equivalent then 4GB is a must.

With the OP having C2D, XP and a 320GTS and a predominant complaint of gaming, I would suggest holding out for a while and swap just the gfx card. (which i think is what he is doing anyway)

edit/ and maybe OC the CPU just a tad more /edit

[alexpollard]

My 2c

If you have (or like) Vista 64, and have quad core and GTX or equivalent then 4GB is a must.

With the OP having C2D, XP and a 320GTS and a predominant complaint of gaming, I would suggest holding out for a while and swap just the gfx card. (which i think is what he is doing anyway)

edit/ and maybe OC the CPU just a tad more /edit

LOL - Thanks people. Vista was a pain, I have been using XP for soooo long now I found it really difficult going cold turkey and moving over to the dark side. I too have an X-Fi which isn't quite the same under Vista and I have my XP tweaked so well now it runs perfectly. I guess in a couple of months I will be loving it. Another gripe is the reason I upgraded to Vista... to take advantage of all the DX10 loveliness... That was until I turned everything up to very high on Crysis and my £200 graphics card presented me with a lovely 1FPS slideshow. So, if I can only play Crysis at DX9 level, what was the point in changing. I think I will hold out for another GFX card AND get some more memory... And my is that Q6600 looking afordable too.... must... stop...need....help....

[F1ZZY]

Well, yes. Moving to vista, a quad, 4GB Ram and a gfx card better than a GTS is inevitable.

The choice is really when and how (one leap or slowly).

[s_kinton]

I am actually running an 8800GTS 320mb which I have put on ebay as I was really dissapointed with the results on Crysis. I guess nothing has the power at the moment to play the game but I expected more from a £190 card.

You're right nothing can run Crysis as we would hope. The problem with the card you have is the amount of vram. 320mb just isn't enough for Crysis, 512mb is a minimum if you want to put the resolution up.