8GB of RAM - is it necessary?

Jon20

Jon20

Jon20

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I'm currently running with 4GB of Kingston HyperX 1066mhz RAM. I bought another set at the time when they were on offer, but the Giagbyte motherboard I was using, a GA-P35-DS3L, wasn't able to run them without BSOD's all the time. I've tried them in the P5Q-E that I've now got and this runs with 8GB with no problems at all. I only use the PC mainly for gaming and internet, and I saw no difference at all in gaming. So I'm just wondering if I should stick with 4GB or go with 8GB just because I've got the option?
 
Why have 4 when you can have 8 :)

4 for now is plenty for gaming, down the line though you never know.......I used to have 256meg in my PC & that was gonsidered overkill at the time :)
 
I agree with beep, more is nice, but no significant performace increases (unless you do HQ image editing, in that case more is better). Check this article about the differences.

That said, if you plan to overclock, having 2 RAM sticks instead of 4 provides for much better stability.
 
4 sticks needs a higher NB voltage for the same overclock, in most cases: so if you're at the limits of stability or voltage, probably better to keep to two sticks :-)
 
Put it this way...I bought an extra 2x2GB to along with the current 2x2GB set up I have with my Q6600. I put them in...and machine wouldnt boot...turns out I needed to reduce the FSB on my CPU just to allow the PC to boot with 8GB. In the end I took the 2x2GB extra sticks out and they have not been used since...but I am planning on using them in another machine at some point I hope...but never mind...lol...:D
 
Well I've stuck the other 2x2GB set in, so I'm running with 8GB at the moment. I don't seem to have any problems with running 8GB. I've run 5 rounds of IBT with no errors, prime95 blend test runs fine and had no problems with gaming, so I guess its safe to say its stable. Perhaps its because I only have a modest overclock (@3.4GHz, don't intend to take it further)? NB voltage is only 1.16v. I know I don't need 8GB (although last level of Crysis was using nearly 4GB :eek:) but seeing as I've got it, I might as well use it.
 
I used to have 6gb ddr2 800mhz when I had my old motherboard and I didnt think I would notice a difference between 4 and 6, however now that my motherboard has died and am using a crappy cheap mobo I actually notice the PC seems to be less snappier with 4gig than with 6. This may be because the current mobo isnt running dual channel also, but still I liked my 6gb. Used to have 8 but one stick died lol
 
If your gaming stick with 4GB for now, you'll notice little difference between the 2.

I have 8GB now but that's because I run a virtual environment now and again that consists of a few servers and desktop machines. Just for exam revision and practical experience etc...
 
It's amazing how far we have come in the PC world. When 256MB was enough to run the likes of Quake and Doom and Duke Nukem (the latter I think could run fine even with the 128MB lol). And here we are now...motherboards with the ability to have upto 24GB RAM. Now unless you run a uber server, are you really going to need 24GB RAM? :D lol...
 
I got 8gb simply because later down the line it may become difficult to get hold of the same sticks of RAM for compatability, as well as prices rising due to the fact 775 will (is) become a last generation socket, so the supply and demand rate will change, forcing prices upward like AGP.

However, the fact that it is only £40 took a more forefront role in my decision, as well as the fact that i thought it'd be a nice treat for Windows 7 :p
 
if you have it you may as well stick it in, a nice treat for the system :p sooner or later 8gb will become the standard anyway, just like how four years ago a measely 1gb was standard...
 
Put 8gb in, create a 2-4gb ram disk and install your favourite game to it (that will fit!) and experience non existent loading times!
 
Depends how many memory eating processes you like to keep open at the time. If you're like me, you'd end up using most of it. Having numerous applications open, etc.
 
OzZie said:
I got 8gb simply because later down the line it may become difficult to get hold of the same sticks of RAM for compatability, as well as prices rising due to the fact 775 will (is) become a last generation socket, so the supply and demand rate will change, forcing prices upward like AGP.

However, the fact that it is only £40 took a more forefront role in my decision, as well as the fact that i thought it'd be a nice treat for Windows 7 :p
Click to expand...

Exactly the reason I went for 8GB.

It's way OTT for the kind of stuff I do, but who knows what might happen in the future, and I'd rather get it now whilst I can get cheap, matching sticks.
 
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