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    Upgrade to 2gb of ram?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by madroxinide, Dec 3, 2006.

  1. madroxinide

    madroxinide Notebook Deity

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    I currently have 1 gb, will i see a huge difference if i update it to 2 gb? what will I notice the difference in?
     
    madroxinide, Dec 3, 2006
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  2. Zero

    Zero The Random Guy

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    Yeah, you probably will notice a difference in games. Otherwise, if you don't use Windows heavily, ie use many program at one time, then the difference will be less. Generally though, more RAM is always good, but something like 4 GB is too much for the average user. 2 GB is more than enough for most users. Hope this helps.
     
    Zero, Dec 3, 2006
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  3. vespoli

    vespoli 402 NBR Reviewer

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    2 GB is a lot of memory, depending on what you do it may/may not be overkill. Certain games will see a performance boost as mentioned. 32 bit Windows can address something like 3.25 GB of memory, so yes, 4GB is way too much. The bottleneck in that system will be the GPU.
     
    vespoli, Dec 3, 2006
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  4. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Here is (from my experience) what benefits from 1+GB:

    Gaming (definitely newer titles)
    Engineering Apps (MATLAB, 3d Studio MAX, Maya)
    Photoshop or similar apps.
    Transcoding, encoding apps.

    Other than that, I'd stick with 1GB until you need to move up. By then you'll either need a new computer or the prices for RAM chips will go down. I once got 4GB on a desktop (which was eventually returned for other reasons), and that was the dumbest mistake I ever made on a computer purchase. Fortunately, it got returned...
     
    Greg, Dec 3, 2006
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  5. Lil Mayz

    Lil Mayz Notebook Deity

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    The difference of speed depends strongly on the applications you are running. If you are runnning basic applications such as MS Office/Web Designing/Music - Video then the difference in speed will be minimal, if at all.

    Demanding applications such as Adobe Photoshop/AutoCAD use more RAM and so, you will notice a fair increase in speed.

    The most increase in speed will be experienced when playing games at high resolutions and detail settings. An extra 1GB of RAM will make a substantial diffference to the overall Frame Rates.

    As mentioned, 4GB is a little too much, and, when playing games, your GPU will be a bottleneck.

    Your HDD might be a bottleneck as well, as it only runs at 5400 rpm. With a 5400 rpm HDD, 4GB is a waste.

    Also, your CPU has a 667Mhz FSB, but your current RAM Module runs at 533Mhz. So your existing RAM Module is a bottleneck.

    If you are only going to buy 1 Module, make sure it is 533Mhz and not 667Mhz. You could also sell your exising RAM Module, and buy two 1GB modules running at 667Mhz.

    Hope This Helps,
    Mayz
     
    Lil Mayz, Dec 3, 2006
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