Memory - How much is enough & Can u have too much?

**Doctor.Bob** · 10-09-2003, 06:44 PM

Some memory questions:

1) Can you have too much?

2) How much benefit is there in going from (a) 512MB to 1GB and from (b) 1GB to 2GB (ignoring the cost!!)

Cheers!

**Trash Man** · 10-09-2003, 06:46 PM

If you are on Windows 98 then forget about anything more than 512mb, if you are on XP then it loves as much as you can throw at it.

What do you use your computer for?

**Korky** · 10-09-2003, 07:06 PM

512mb is gd enough for a games rig. 1gb for anything else, i dont think u have to go any further than that unless ur building a server or what not

**Ozymandias** · 10-09-2003, 07:36 PM

I'm now using 1GB from my old 512MB in XP and can see a fair improvement with large images in PhotoShop. However I've not seen any change ub UT2003 etc.

**oclocker** · 10-09-2003, 08:01 PM

Originally posted by Trash Man
If you are on Windows 98 then forget about anything more than 512mb, if you are on XP then it loves as much as you can throw at it.

What do you use your computer for?

98 can handle >512mb no problem - just needs a simple patch - but TBH if ya have that much RAM 98 is too old anyway ?

**directhex** · 10-09-2003, 08:26 PM

98 can't address above 512mb, and slows considerably after 256mb.

--jo

**M@tt** · 10-09-2003, 08:39 PM

I remember upgrading to a wopping 256Mb with Win 2K nobody used more than 128 Mb with Win 98 at the time and we were happy.

With XP, is it really worth having more than 512Mb? for a normal home user (I have 512Mb). ATM win Task Manager is saying I am using 209Mb (higher than I thought it would be) which means I am not using 300 Mb, or am I missing something?

**malfunction** · 10-09-2003, 08:40 PM

Depends on what you're using your PC for.

For most in-house servers 1GB is enough (512MB really!). Off the top of my head the only *really* memory hogging server apps are things like J2EE servers, databases, etc... I suppose large scientific calculations, rendering and image editing can use as much memory as you can throw at it. Other than that you'd need to have a lot of users with sessions / connections to the server to need more than 1GB of RAM (IMO).

**Darkmatter** · 11-09-2003, 01:37 PM

M@tt, The 209mb is what is currently being used by whatever you have loaded, drivers, programs, services etc.
The other 300mb or so wont be used util its needed. In the task manager you can see what you peak memory usage is.

Ive found 512mb to be good enough if you dont do anything intensive like 3D rendering or heavy Graphic design. So if you surf the net, play a few games its fine.

I bought an extra 512mb and take me to 1gig, i have only experienced a minor increase in performance in some games, but id have to say it wasnt worth it for me.

**TiG** · 11-09-2003, 02:20 PM

win2k server will address up to 2gb, win2k adv server will address 4 gb, win2003 not sure what version will address 6gb.

2gb is only needed for a database server and things of similar ilk.

TiG

**windog** · 11-09-2003, 02:32 PM

Since this is a mem issue thread perhaps I can add a question

I have a nf7-s v2 and with respect to chooseing how much mem to buy I am wondering wether to go for 1 x 512 (with the possibility of adding another if I decide I want/need it)
or 2 x 256
obviously the 2 sticks will make use of the dual channel function but will I see any lack of perf useing only 1 stick (x 512) instead?

Windog

**Doctor.Bob** · 11-09-2003, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by windog
Since this is a mem issue thread perhaps I can add a question

I have a nf7-s v2 and with respect to chooseing how much mem to buy I am wondering wether to go for 1 x 512 (with the possibility of adding another if I decide I want/need it)
or 2 x 256
obviously the 2 sticks will make use of the dual channel function but will I see any lack of perf useing only 1 stick (x 512) instead?

Windog

I'm not sure how much it will alter performance buying 1 x 512MB but if you did that at least you could upgrade later without having to flog the 2 x 256MB

**jcoquillon** · 11-09-2003, 03:54 PM

I think a Gig is enough for almost anything you can throw at a system.

**Gipo** · 12-09-2003, 08:47 PM

Doesn't battlefield 1942 like having a gig of ram over 512mb

**BUFF** · 12-09-2003, 09:05 PM

DC on an nForce2 mobo using an AGP card is only good for about a 3% improvement so I would buy the single stick & add another 512 Mb later.

For flight sims Il2 Fb improves with 1Gb & supposedly so will LOMAC.
I would expect memory intensive (photoshop etc. & video editing) to benefit from more RAM.

**Swafe** · 12-09-2003, 09:54 PM

128 - 256 BIG JUMP

256 - 512 jump, but smaller

512 - 1024 hardly any difference unless using lots of apps !

1024 - 2048, pointless pretty much, unless your editing video and need a whole movie in ram to speed rendering etc

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