Should I go 8Gb memory?
- Thread starter HotStuff
- Start date
Spicypixel
New Member
Waste of cash.
From that i also presume you're still running the Core2Duo?, if that's the case then i doubt you're likely to notice that big an improvement over 4G as you're much more likely to be lacking CPU/GPU grunt in todays games.
Also for DDR3 you're looking at £30-40 for a good 8GB (2x4G) kit these days meaning if you are looking at upgrading the machine in the near future that's an extra £50 or so in the kitty for it after taking into account the RAM.
Ultimately i'd say wait for a new machine, but that's my opinion, and also based on the fact i have no idea how well BF3 handles memory, it might love 8GB even when CPU/GPU limited.
Also for DDR3 you're looking at £30-40 for a good 8GB (2x4G) kit these days meaning if you are looking at upgrading the machine in the near future that's an extra £50 or so in the kitty for it after taking into account the RAM.
Ultimately i'd say wait for a new machine, but that's my opinion, and also based on the fact i have no idea how well BF3 handles memory, it might love 8GB even when CPU/GPU limited.
Spicypixel
New Member
BF3 hates core2 with a passion for fashion.
thatbloke
Junior Administrator
Most motherboard bundles I've seen recently allow you the option to upgrade the RAM from 4GB to 8GB, and that jump is usually < £15. RAM is VERY cheap atm but if you're still on a C2D then don't bother, as you won't see much of a benefit.
It will only become of benefit when you want to run games like BF3 on Ultra/Max settings (and you have a CPU+GPU capable of doing so)
It will only become of benefit when you want to run games like BF3 on Ultra/Max settings (and you have a CPU+GPU capable of doing so)
Spicypixel
New Member
tl'dr save up for i5, mid range ASUS mobo and 8gb bundle.
Tried 8GB in windows 7 - made no difference at all as the system doesnt have the VFS caching that linux has. I swapped back to 4GB and have never noticed the difference. Unless you're seriously into video/photo editing or CAD applications you'll not get any real benefit. Games certainly don't require it.
Regards
Haven
Regards
Haven
Wol
In Cryo Sleep
When something comes along and quite happily eats 2gb per core on a quad core system, then you know it needs more.
With games - it just doesn't need RAM quite so much. I dont hit over 4gb on my normal day to day use of my desktop. When i start doing video / photo stuff, it goes straight to 8gb, and bitches at me.
Out of interest - what made you make this post in the first place? Do you find that your PC is running slowly, or that you have lots of things using RAM? Are games running slowly / loading slowly / low FPS? etc.
thatbloke
Junior Administrator
Ill re-iterate - CERTAIN games are now able to use more than 2GB RAM (which would mean having 8 instead of 4 would be much better for you) but even at that point, you still need the CPU+GPU to be able to handle that much data with ease.
WoW has a 64-bit client coming, which will be able to use more than 2GB RAM.
BF3 can use 3GB at the highest settings (i believe).
Skyrim can use 3GB if it needs to, afaik.
There may be others, but those are the ones that spring to mind.
So, having 8GB can be useful for gaming, but only if you've got the other hardware to go with it.
WoW has a 64-bit client coming, which will be able to use more than 2GB RAM.
BF3 can use 3GB at the highest settings (i believe).
Skyrim can use 3GB if it needs to, afaik.
There may be others, but those are the ones that spring to mind.
So, having 8GB can be useful for gaming, but only if you've got the other hardware to go with it.
thanks everyone.
I upgraded my chip to a 3Ghz quad core 12Mb cache (Q9650) and graphics to a nvidia 560 1gb in the past two months. These are pretty much the fastest components my aging m/b can handle.
BF3 runs very well at medium to high settings.
I would like to NOT upgrade my mainboard for at least another two years - hopefully 3?
I am concerned that if I don't upgrade my DDR2 RAM now, it will simply increase to a ludicrous price.
To date games don't use anymore than 3Gb, 32bit versions (as stated on this thread) but if developers start to produce 64bit versions (thatbloke mentions wow will be going this way) then will 4Gb not become the minimum and 8Gb the recommended. The question then begs, will this happen in the time I still have my m/b?
I upgraded my chip to a 3Ghz quad core 12Mb cache (Q9650) and graphics to a nvidia 560 1gb in the past two months. These are pretty much the fastest components my aging m/b can handle.
BF3 runs very well at medium to high settings.
I would like to NOT upgrade my mainboard for at least another two years - hopefully 3?
I am concerned that if I don't upgrade my DDR2 RAM now, it will simply increase to a ludicrous price.
To date games don't use anymore than 3Gb, 32bit versions (as stated on this thread) but if developers start to produce 64bit versions (thatbloke mentions wow will be going this way) then will 4Gb not become the minimum and 8Gb the recommended. The question then begs, will this happen in the time I still have my m/b?
Spicypixel
New Member
In the next 18+ months where games will want to do that the 560 will feel the heat.
I upgraded from 4Gb to 8Gb a few days ago. ( Yeah go on laugh I knew it only took me a year to decide). Cost me £91 for the memory but I will easily get £50 for my old stuff. On that basis and also that a couple of games have recommended above 4Gb and the fact that I have no intention of upgrading the board anytime soon, I saw no harm in just getting on with it.
Can't say I notice any massive difference other than the fact win7 reports it.
I tried running wow, half life and COD in seperate windows and it took the memory usage up to 6.3Gb. I could switch switch between games easily without the obvious churning of the hard disk.
The only game that took it above 4Gb running on its own was Planetside 2, which used 4.3Gb.
I am wondering how long I can get away with this ?
Can't say I notice any massive difference other than the fact win7 reports it.
I tried running wow, half life and COD in seperate windows and it took the memory usage up to 6.3Gb. I could switch switch between games easily without the obvious churning of the hard disk.
The only game that took it above 4Gb running on its own was Planetside 2, which used 4.3Gb.
I am wondering how long I can get away with this ?
Ki!ler-Mk1
Active Member
Try turning the page file off.
(This is not recommended with 8gb of ram)
(This is not recommended with 8gb of ram
)
VibroAxe
Junior Administrator
As people have previously discussed, your processor and GPU will soon be your limiting factors here rather than your 8GB of memory. I'd recommend trying to budget for at least a new CPU/Motherboard sometime soon, then try to upgrade the GPU soon after. I did my rig earlier in the year and it now flys again, very satisfying
Traxata
Junior Administrator
"Flys" eh? We won't mention that you broke it
Just to update you on this fantasitcally interesting story of my upgrade.
I only got £31 on ebay for my 4gb ddr2 4-4-4-12 (low timings) memory. A bit disappointed, considering it cost me £91 for the new 8gb with slower timings.
I wished I had done this upgrade last year when 8gb cost £95 and I would have got more for the 4gb old stuff.
Lesson to be learned?
I only got £31 on ebay for my 4gb ddr2 4-4-4-12 (low timings) memory. A bit disappointed, considering it cost me £91 for the new 8gb with slower timings.
I wished I had done this upgrade last year when 8gb cost £95 and I would have got more for the 4gb old stuff.
Lesson to be learned?
Ki!ler-Mk1
Active Member
Spicypixel
New Member
The fact you spent any money at all on a DDR2 machine in 2013 astounds me.
