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Windows 7 Home Premium RAM limit - effect on Graphics RAM?

  • Thread starter Thread starter DMZ
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DMZ

DMZ

DMZ

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Currently I have 12GB of RAM and a 2GB graphics card. If I add another 12GB, making 24GB of RAM + 2GB of Graphics RAM, then will my graphics performance take a hit because I've exceeded the 18GB limit? I remember back on 32bit systems there was an issue a bit like this.

Thanks
 
x64 HP has a microsoft set limit of 16gb. (Not sure if that accounts the VRAM as well). So if you did get another 12gb kit Windows will simply not use 8gb of it. I would just stick with 12gb unless you do heaving video editing etc etc then maybe worth upgrading to Professional or Ultimate then you can play with up to 192gb of RAM.
 
I suppose I could use 4 sticks (3 + 1 according to the manual, since the first 3 are matched already), but I'd still like to be sure that it won't turn out bad cos of the extra 2GB on the graphics card.

EDIT: Which 16GB will it use? A bit from each stick?

Cheers
 
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DMZ said:
I suppose I could use 4 sticks (3 + 1 according to the manual, since the first 3 are matched already)
Click to expand...

I assume this is an X58 motherboard which supports triple channel operation.

Just adding a 4th stick may cause you to have 3 sticks operating in triple channel mode plus 1 in single channel mode or it may make all 4 sticks run in single channel mode.

If you go down the 4 stick road perhaps you should use them in the appropriate slots so that they all operate in dual channel mode.
 
Surveyor said:
If you go down the 4 stick road perhaps you should use them in the appropriate slots so that they all operate in dual channel mode.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm considering that, but that would mean my sticks weren't 'matched' any more. I still haven't worked out if matching is a real thing or marketing.
 
DMZ said:
Yeah I'm considering that, but that would mean my sticks weren't 'matched' any more. I still haven't worked out if matching is a real thing or marketing.
Click to expand...

The easiest way if you get a 4th stick is to try it.

If it works in dual channel without errors then that's as "matched" as you need it to be.

All 4 sticks have to work at the same speed, timings and voltage however you set them up so the 4th stick you get needs to "match" the 3 you already have as closely as possilbe in those respects.
 
Why the hell would you need 12GB of Ram? 4GB is plenty, I'm running 8GB of DDR2 and that's more than enough. The only time my PC crashes is due to the processor being slow
 
Jay794 said:
Why the hell would you need 12GB of Ram? 4GB is plenty, I'm running 8GB of DDR2 and that's more than enough. The only time my PC crashes is due to the processor being slow
Click to expand...

Just because your PC usage doesn't require more than 4 or 8GB doesn't mean other users don't have a need or use for it.
 
I said this in a previous thread, but doubling the amount of ram is not going to double the speed of a PC
 
Jay794 said:
Why the hell would you need 12GB of Ram? 4GB is plenty, I'm running 8GB of DDR2 and that's more than enough. The only time my PC crashes is due to the processor being slow
Click to expand...

My workstation regularly exceeds 8GB RAM usage and I don't even do modelling/editing. Buying 16GB DDR3 for ~£90 was a no brainer

Edit: My home machine has 4GB and that's just dandy. Not everyone merely uses their PC for pr0n and games
 
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