OK--here's what I'm going to do for a new puter

[Bestbank Tiger]

I'm going to ride the current one as long as it'll hold up. When I finally have to get a new one I'll get one with 2 gigs of RAM and the 32 bit version of Vista. I'll also make sure it's expandable so I can add another 2 gigs of RAM if it runs too slow.

Opinions? I don't need a top notch gaming machine.

 

[Zelig]

Get 64-bit Vista if you ever want to run more than 3GB of memory.

 

[Macha]

Personally, if it's not too much of a price rise, I'd get 64bit for future compatibility.

 

[lndm]

2GB is plenty unless you have a specific program or working set that demands more. 4GB won't help, otherwise.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

4GB sets are so cheap now, its not that bad to get one. If you need speeds over PC6400 though, there is a price premium. But really, if you just need the standard DDR2 pc6400, you can find 4GB dual channel sets for as little as 25$ after rebates.

 

[Zelig]

2GB is plenty unless you have a specific program or working set that demands more. 4GB won't help, otherwise.

Or unless you enjoy have multiple applications open. My motherboard limits me to 4gb, which is less than I'd like. I have to close applications because of ram limitations.

4GB sets are so cheap now, its not that bad to get one. If you need speeds over PC6400 though, there is a price premium. But really, if you just need the standard DDR2 pc6400, you can find 4GB dual channel sets for as little as 25$ after rebates.

8GB sets are dirt cheap too, you can pick them up for $100 before rebates.

 

[lndm]

Or unless you enjoy have multiple applications open.

Applications typically use far less than that. Are you sure you're not saying your RAM's full because Vista has preallocated it to cacheing and is reporting full usage?

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Each application might not use that much, but a few intensive apps, and you've hit 4GB limit. A large Photoshop or Premiere Pro project easily uses 2 gigs, and if you have both open side by side, you can easily hit 4 gigs.

In other words, there is no good reason to advocate for 2GB of ram over 4GB. If you get a dual channel 2GB set now, you're gonna be limited to 6GB without replacing the 2gb set. If you get a single channel 2gb set now, you're limiting yourself to single channel until you upgrade. RAM is dirt cheap, so the price consideration shouldnt be that big.

 

[Zelig]

Applications typically use far less than that. Are you sure you're not saying your RAM's full because Vista has preallocated it to cacheing and is reporting full usage?

Quite sure, I'm just good at using lots of memory.

Shot I grabbed right before posting this, pretty standard usage for me:

 

[Jazzmail]

A large Photoshop or Premiere Pro project easily uses 2 gigs, and if you have both open side by side, you can easily hit 4 gigs.

In other words, there is no good reason to advocate for 2GB of ram over 4GB.

Sure there is. Alot of people don't need to play with photoshop, let alone two projects at the same time.

Reasons for 2GB: it's twice as cheap as 4GB and winXP has a 2GB virtual adress space per application limit anyway.

Which means any single application in winXP will use less, or much less, than 2GB of RAM when it hits the limit.
Worse, winXP cannot use more than around ~3.2 GB of RAM even if you have many heavy apps running. This 3GB limit is also what you will run into if you hack the 2GB limit out of XP and you can flag an .exe >2GB aware and you can live with a crash prone PC.

So we have 2 valid options:
1. 2GB RAM if you upgrade a PC. Likely to be limited to a 32bit OS here, because of 32bit drivers for the stuff you kept.
You may also want to keep winXP for max compatibility, so you can keep running your older games and applications you may have installed.

2. 4GB RAM if you buy or build a completely new rig. Get a high-end machine with 64bit Vista installed. You may want to replace the videocard with something good.

3. 32bit Vista is a waste of time. Stick with winXP or get a new rig with 64.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Reasons for 2GB: it's twice as cheap as 4GB and winXP has a 2GB virtual adress space per application limit anyway.

Which means any single application in winXP will use less, or much less, than 2GB of RAM when it hits the limit.
Worse, winXP cannot use more than around ~3.2 GB of RAM even if you have many heavy apps running. This 3GB limit is also what you will run into if you hack the 2GB limit out of XP and you can flag an .exe >2GB aware and you can live with a crash prone PC.

2GB Memory set: ~22$ on newegg
4GB Memory set ~25$ on newegg if you find a good deal. Usually you can find sets for 30-35$.

Why would Windows only use 3.2GB? Mine would be using closed to 3.6 or 3.7GB. The 4GB limit is total for your system.

About the 2GB limit: if you only have 2GB of RAM, then what happens when you hit that limit? You're completely out of system memory. having 4GB ensures that even if one program is using the full 2GB that it can, you still have some left.

 

[GVBN]

Yeah, the 4gb total memory also includes your video card VRAM, so if you have one of those GTX 200 series cards then it's going to be a lot less than ~3.7gb

 

[Jazzmail]

2GB Memory set: ~22$ on newegg
4GB Memory set ~25$ on newegg if you find a good deal. Usually you can find sets for 30-35$.

We got no newegg in this part of the world. Anyway, if both sets are quality, then yeah, go get the 4GB for $3 more. Good for you.

Why would Windows only use 3.2GB? Mine would be using closed to 3.6 or 3.7GB.

Maybe you aren't using winXP, but another OS like Vista for example, otherwise it simply isn't. Simple as that.

About the 2GB limit: if you only have 2GB of RAM, then what happens when you hit that limit? You're completely out of system memory.

Games have never reached the 2GB limit for me, but it's common knowledge that when they do, games will crash under winXP. Just like they will if you got 3GB RAM, or 4GB or 10 GB. It doesn't matter.
If you are really clever you can stretch it to about 2.5 GB if you know all the hacks and tweaks.

having 4GB ensures that even if one program is using the full 2GB that it can, you still have some left.

You will still crash. Unless you get Vista.

 

[Macha]

Quite sure, I'm just good at using lots of memory.

Shot I grabbed right before posting this, pretty standard usage for me:

I notice your using Vista, you may want to read this:
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000688.html

tl;dr version: It's vista using the memory not you but this is a good thing if you use the same few applications the whole time.

 

[Zelig]

I notice your using Vista, you may want to read this:
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000688.html

tl;dr version: It's vista using the memory not you but this is a good thing if you use the same few applications the whole time.

No, it's definitely me using all the memory, that was the point of the screenshot. Vista only has 750MB (although the physical memory counter is at 86%, matching the 3.46GB usage graph) of my memory cached, I'm using the rest.

 

[Bestbank Tiger]

2. 4GB RAM if you buy or build a completely new rig. Get a high-end machine with 64bit Vista installed. You may want to replace the videocard with something good.

3. 32bit Vista is a waste of time. Stick with winXP or get a new rig with 64.

Thanks...does that mean I'll have to replace the peripherals too? My cable modem works fine but it's several years old.

 

[Zelig]

Thanks...does that mean I'll have to replace the peripherals too? My cable modem works fine but it's several years old.

Depends on the peripherals.

Cable modems don't take drivers, so that wouldn't be a problem. Probably worth checking the manufacturer's sites for anything with drivers to check for relevant ones.