4 gig RAM--worth it?

I'll be getting an IFL-90 sometime around July and I was wondering whether getting 4 gig will be worth it. It'll have a 2.2 gig santa rosa, 8600GT and so on. I am wondering about the pros and cons of having a 64 bit Vista and whether having 4 gig will really affect gaming--and if the OS itself would affect gaming significantly. Thanks for the help!

 

I'm not as firmiliar with the IFL-90, but if your using 64 bit OS, 4 gig would definitely be used, and if your gaming in a 64 bit, then I'd have to say it's probably a good idea. Turbocache would be able to use some extra memory for gaming without troubling OS mem, and 3gb would be good for such a boost in 32 bit, but if you are definitely going 64bit, then I'd go with four, just to make sure that the OS and GPU have enough to go around. Just my first instinct, anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Yeah its cheap I would go for it if you plan to use an x64 based OS.

If not you should still go for the 3gb on a x86 OS.

 

Shoot, you can get 4GB for less than $200 now...

 

Lol, Yeah I spent 210.00 for 2gb's DDR2 for this lappy back in February. Ouch!!

 

If a laptop comes with two 1GB ram sticks. Would you upgrade to two 2GB ram sticks for $350CDN if using 32bit?

Would it be better to buy an after market 2GB ram to make 3GB in total?

 

I would not. x86 only recognizes 3gb's that I'm almost certain of. It would definitely be better to do an aftermarket upgrade as opposed to paying exorbitant OEM mfr prices.

 

I've found that the cost of ram from where I'm purchasing it (xoticpc) is actually equivalent or very close to buying the ram separate from NewEgg. Ram is crazy cheap these days and I could afford it so I figured I'd go 4 gig. I have Vista Ultimate both 32 and 64-bit edition. Would the 64bit be alright for gaming and general college work or should I just go 3gig with 32-bit to avoid potential driver issues?

 

go dual boot if your worried

I use x64 only game giving me issues thus far is BF2142. Its totally playable but crashes somtime due to a memory leak I belive.

 

64 bit windows has major issue right now, I would go with 3GB and x32, then upgrade to x64 and 4GB in 6 months or so when both will be cheaper

 

gopher it!!!!!

 

Read this article about 64 bit windows, they are using a 64 bit version of XP Pro but it should still apply for Vista

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core2duo-64bit.html

 

Wow talic I havnt read an article like that in a long time, brings back the memories of when x64 was first comming out on the AMDs and everybody was knee deep in that research on the computer enthusist forums.

+ rep

x64 should have come a good ways since then, and soon the new AMD phome will be around if they continue there better x64 advancment we may have a C2D crusher on our hands.

 

I am using 64-bit Vista on my AMD 64 machine and I have noticed no more quirks than on another machine I own running 32-bit Vista. Quite frankly, this one runs much more smoothly than the 32-bit machine, but that may be due to the fact that the 64-bit machine has twice the RAM. The RAM is totally worth it if you're using Vista. Vista is a RAM hog.

 

I haven't even used up my 1G RAM on my Vista(40% free) so whether it worths it still depends on what you run. Vista itself doesn't use that much memory(512M is definitely not enough but 1G is more than enough for standard usage), contrary to all those myth circulating on the internet.

 

for XP/Vista 64 bit yes 32 bit no

start multi tasking and/ or gaming

 

I do multi-task like running several linux VM(and then vnc into it which also runs a pretty bloated GNOME/KDE desktop from the hosting Vista), but not gaming. And didn't I say, depends on what you run ?

I just find those blank statement like "Vista needs at least 2G RAM" overly broad and simply wrong without qualifying for what tasks. Vista itself can run in about 512M RAM, once stablized. But at boot up, it uses more than that(about 800M or so), from some unknown reason which is why I said 512M(or the boot up would thrash like hell and not much room left for other tasks) is not enough yet 1G is more than enough for most everyday task.

Beyond that, who knows what program one would run.

 

If you guys getting ram, now is the best time to do it as prices are actually going back up atm.

 

If it is possible to force Vista to run on 486 and 4MB of RAM......memory hog X 1000 anyone?

 

why would the prices increase?

 

the current low price is because of inventory glut. Though in 2 years or so time, I would say it would be even cheaper, standard Moore's Law.

So if you want to buy in the coming six month or so, now is a good time. But don't treat it as a bargain of the century and load up

 

i'm planning to make my purchase on the first or second week of august

 

And what major issues would that be in particular? I haven't had that many issues running 64-bit OS's.

Because prices got where they are at the moment because of stockpiling RAM for Vista. They ended up with way more than they sold for new PC's and now they're having to get rid of it by selling at a loss. Once they sell down then prices will start to go back up again. RAM prices have never been this cheap before.