3 x 4GB, 3 x 2GB = 18GB, and will still run triple channel
18gb of ram
- Thread starter kain666
- Start date
3 x 4GB, 3 x 2GB = 18GB, and will still run triple channel
surpost to say 16gb
I have 24GB RAM. No game makes use of it at all. 6GB is enough for literally every game out there.
I can use up all my RAM in the software i use. With modelling/rendering i normally never use more than about 8GB. But with Photoshop i can get up to 16GB+ with extremely high res images with hundreds or layers and very high Bit colour profiles (trillions of colours). Professional work basically, nothing a normal user would ever do.
And with video editing software like Adobe After Effects, i actually need about 32GB to properly use all 12 threads on my 6 core CPU. So even with 24GB i'm still limited here.
General Win7 usage, like browsing, opening software, copying files, startup, shut down, and all that stuff doesn't really seem any faster once you go over 8GB. Especially if you have SSD's like i do.
Having said that you have to remember that with the next gen consoles coming out next year, once you get the PC ports, i expect RAM usage to increase dramatically. 8 - 12GB would probably be recommended for gamers once this happens. The ONLY reason no games make use of 8GB or more is purely because of the extremely limited console hardware currently available which seriously holds PC games back (Crysis 2 as a great example).
I can use up all my RAM in the software i use. With modelling/rendering i normally never use more than about 8GB. But with Photoshop i can get up to 16GB+ with extremely high res images with hundreds or layers and very high Bit colour profiles (trillions of colours). Professional work basically, nothing a normal user would ever do.
And with video editing software like Adobe After Effects, i actually need about 32GB to properly use all 12 threads on my 6 core CPU. So even with 24GB i'm still limited here.
General Win7 usage, like browsing, opening software, copying files, startup, shut down, and all that stuff doesn't really seem any faster once you go over 8GB. Especially if you have SSD's like i do.
Having said that you have to remember that with the next gen consoles coming out next year, once you get the PC ports, i expect RAM usage to increase dramatically. 8 - 12GB would probably be recommended for gamers once this happens. The ONLY reason no games make use of 8GB or more is purely because of the extremely limited console hardware currently available which seriously holds PC games back (Crysis 2 as a great example).
I'm not convinced, as mentioned 32bit limitations come into play as well. Even if consoles had more power I still think we'd get some 32bit executables.
Official recommended spec for Metro is 2GB, although they have a further "Optimal" listing of 8GB
The consoles are the only reason 32-bit limitations come in to play in the first place. I'm sure there would still currently be some 32-bit games as you say, but nowhere near as many.
When the next gen consoles arrive these devs will have no option but to start making 64-bit PC versions.
And next year when this happens and games start using 6GB+, i just know loads of people will be coming on these forums and moaning about needing to replace there RAM because they were stupid enough to buy 4x1GB sticks that have taken up all the RAM slots on there board. So few people actually think ahead.
I'm getting so sick of the famous term thats been used so well here, overkill.
The thing is with the price of DDR3 these days even if they have filled all their slots, upgrading will be easily affordable. Upgrading to 6GB would simply be a case of buying 2*2GB which costs under £40, almost certainly far, far less than they spent on their 4*1GB in the first place
I've got a system with 4*1GB in fact, but that's pretty irrelevant because it's DDR2 and that system was retired a couple of years ago!
I don't disagree that you'd be pretty foolish to rush out and buy 4*1GB today, but I can't imagine many do, the majority of 4*1GB setups will be like mine, started off as 2*1GB and then added some more later as prices fell.
Ultimately filling all your RAM slots isn't that much of a problem in cases where you are going to be just as likely to be upgrading your whole system as your memory, or when prices fall to such a level that 'throwing out' a couple of sticks is neither here nor there.
Just by way of example, say you bought 8GB a year or so ago, likely this would have cost you £150+. Instead you bought 4*1GB for say £70. Saving £80.
Now lets say suddenly 4GB isn't enough - oh noes! But all you need to do is go out and buy 8GB for £62. Slot it in and you have 10GB RAM, chuck the other 2GB in the cupboard to use as spares. The bottom line is that the 'inefficiency' of having to chuck out existing hardware when upgrading is only a problem if it costs a lot of money to replace it.
I've got a system with 4*1GB in fact, but that's pretty irrelevant because it's DDR2 and that system was retired a couple of years ago!
I don't disagree that you'd be pretty foolish to rush out and buy 4*1GB today, but I can't imagine many do, the majority of 4*1GB setups will be like mine, started off as 2*1GB and then added some more later as prices fell.
Ultimately filling all your RAM slots isn't that much of a problem in cases where you are going to be just as likely to be upgrading your whole system as your memory, or when prices fall to such a level that 'throwing out' a couple of sticks is neither here nor there.
Just by way of example, say you bought 8GB a year or so ago, likely this would have cost you £150+. Instead you bought 4*1GB for say £70. Saving £80.
Now lets say suddenly 4GB isn't enough - oh noes! But all you need to do is go out and buy 8GB for £62. Slot it in and you have 10GB RAM, chuck the other 2GB in the cupboard to use as spares. The bottom line is that the 'inefficiency' of having to chuck out existing hardware when upgrading is only a problem if it costs a lot of money to replace it.
i agree because 3.5GB is the max my gaming pc has ever used.
my next pc is going to have 4GB.