2GB v 3GB RAM Performance Difference?

Hi I've got an SZ650N/C with 2GB of RAM and I'm just wondering how much of a difference upgrading to 3GB of RAM would make. With all of my programs running my computer automatically takes up 1.2GB of ram so I think going up would help performance. But then with a 2GB and 1GB stick the dual channel performance boost is lost right? What are your experiences with 2gb v 3gb ram? Does upgrading really make a huge difference?

 

Enough to be noticeable, not enough to be groundbreaking.

Vista will always use half the RAM. Just the way it's designed.

 

so there would be an improvement between 3GB ram and 2GB ram with dual channel boost? How much does the dual channel boost improve performance anyway. I'm not assuming much. :\

 

Dig around here for another thread about this, but the bottom line was that dual channel is NOT lost when you have two different size memory chips installed.

Gary

 

The asymmetric RAM configuration of 3GB will not give a significant performance hit. Read all about it in this thread. If you are running Vista then the extra 1GB will give smoother operation because Vista will use spare RAM to cache frequently used files / program components.

John

 

ok thanks for all the information!

 

in my opinion you're better off making sure the proper amount of virtual memory is allocated and also using a flash drive or a SD/Memory Stick that is compatible with readyboost.
I think readyboost is an awesome vista feature which really does make a difference when the extra memory/speed is needed.

 

I went from 2 to 4gb (even though Vista 32-bit only uses about 3.2gb - I got a good deal on 2 x 2gb Crucial sticks) and I can see a difference. It is not eye-popping, just really nice. Apps load faster, start-up is a few seconds faster and the FZ just handles the "load" better when I am doing a lot of different tasks. There is no downside to spending the ~$40-45 for a 2gb stick, IMHO.

 

I went from 2GB to 4GB on my desktop ([email protected]) running XP SP2 because I got a good deal for crucial 4GB RAM. It's a dual channel memory configuration and the only difference I notice is that with 4GB RAM apps (especially big apps like games) load faster.

With memory prices so low, it wouldn't hurt to ungrade to 4GB.

 

adding more ram also increases your vista system rating! haha

its been tested before that having matching sticks of ram = better increased performance vs. having mismatched (1gb and 2gb) sticks of ram. Both will give you higher system stability - which is what most people look for now a days.

 

nodrogkam,

Can you provide a link please? That is NOT what has been reported in the test that John linked to.

Gary

 

in his own thread, he states what i've stated, but he claims lower numbers, and apparantly this varies with manufacturers of CPU's and mother boards.
I will be more than happy to find other sources that say this too. A few articles i've read claimed that for the new DDR2 rams that using idential sticks will basically have up to a 12% increase in performance as compared to using two mismatched sticks. All of the articles i've read do point out that this performance difference is definately not noticible to most if not all users, and the only reason this is even noticed is due to benchmarking and other programs that measure system performance.

but below i have just pasted a section of the post u sent me.


Do I need the same size RAM sticks to run in Dual Channel? Yes (AMD at this point says yes)/No (Intel) but you do usually want the same speed and latency as every thing clocks down to the slowest of both. Example 533Mhz CL4 mixed with 667Mhz CL5 will go with the slowest of both 533Mhz CL5 (not always with the latency) and slower than if either were matched. Same size sticks will run slightly faster symmetric RAM array (Interleaved). If the RAM is of different sizes it runs in what is called “asymmetric RAM array” (Intel Flex Memory/ AMD does not support). The greater the disparity between your 2 sticks the greater the performance hit vs sticks of the same size. The difference seems to be approximately in proportion to the ratio of the the smaller stick x2 to the entire amount of RAM. An example with Intel, 1GB stick and 2GB stick. 2/3, 1GB(smallest stick)x2 to 3GB(the entire amount). Well 2/3 of the total improvement, of the Dual Channel running with the same size sticks (symmetric RAM array) 10%, the asymmetric RAM array example is about 6.7% so a 3.3% less than symmetric RAM array. With 512MB stick and 2GB stick, 512MB(smallest stick)x2 to 2.5GB(the entire amount). 1/2.5 4% improvement. AMD's will show greater improvements and losses, Dual/Single keep that in mind.