Tips for gaming with 8GB system memory?

heartburnron · 28 Nov 2017 at 16:22

So I built my kids a gaming PC last month out of mostly spare and second hand parts. Being only 5 & 6 years old they're too young to appreciate high graphics settings so I settled for a Pentium G4560 and 8GB of Hyper X 2400 DRR4 RAM. I then dropped in my old Fury X which I expected to be able to handle anything on the 60Hz 1080p monitor they're gaming on.

However, today while playing Just Cause 3 they got a system memory warning from the game at the start menu, advising to close down other applications. There where no other open applications to close down aside from Steam. So what is the story in regards to games and system memory? I know all about VRAM and the impact graphics settings have on that but for system memory, is there anything that can be done? Will lowering in game graphics settings have any impact? The game itself is running ok with just the occasional stutter when driving around but I've no intention of adding any more RAM at the current prices...

heartburnron · 28 Nov 2017 at 17:55

Quartz said:
Just enable the pagefile.

Ok thanks. Can you elaborate though... how, where do I do that?

heartburnron · 28 Nov 2017 at 19:35

Dempsey22 said:
Right-click Computer

Select Properties

Select Advanced system settings

Select the Advanced tab and then the Performance radio button

Select the Change box under Virtual memory

Thank you.

Columbo said:
Run JC3 at 720p and you should be fine but honestly keep your eye for some used RAM even if only 4gb, you'll lose dual channel but you wont notice. Had the same issue with the same game on my daughters PC and ended up adding ram.

Thanks. So does the resolution of a game effect the actual system memory as well as VRAM? I understand that system memory is utilised for applications, web pages, etc. but I don't understand the relationship between games and system memory?...

heartburnron · 28 Nov 2017 at 21:18

FoxEye said:
Game can use system RAM for whatever it wants Could be doing some weird buffering between the disk and the GPU's VRAM.

Normally a game engine doesn't use as much system RAM as VRAM by a long way, or at least that's how it used to be.

e: Plenty of us (including myself) are using 8GB sys RAM and having no issues, btw.

That's what I thought. I knew 16GB has become the new 'standard' over the past couple of years but I wasn't expecting any issues by going with 8GB for their PC. Likely just that specific game as Columbo mentioned above similar issues.