Is RAM so needed in today's games??

I just upgraded from 1 gig PC3200 to 1.5 gigs; Do you think I should go up to 21 gigs of RAM for future games, or do wil I be ready for the future (FEAR, QUAKE 4, etc )?
Since I work at Best Buy, I get 512 PC3200 Ram for like 40 bucks anyway, so Im wondering if it will really matter if I put more RAM in it.

I have a Radeon X800 XL, p4 HT 3.6 ghz.....

Thanks guys

 

1.5 should last for now. FEAR, which seems to be the biggest hogger right now uses around 900mb with settings high.

 

Here are the requirements for f.e.a.r. Your computer definitely meets them
Windows ® 2000/XP with latest service pack installed
* DirectX(tm) 9.0c
* Pentium ® 4 1.7 Ghz or equivalent
* 1GB RAM
* 128 MB DirectX ® 9.0 Compliant Video Card with hardware T&L and pixel shader support*
* 3.0 GB free Hard Drive Space for installation
* Additional hard drive space for a Windows swap file and saved game files.
* 16-bit DirectX 9.0 compliant sound card with support for EAX 2.0
* Broadband connection for multiplayer games.
* Mouse & Keyboard

 

21gb? lol, only server cluster type boxes support more then 3GB.

 

LOL, sorry. I MEANT 2 GIGS OF RAM

 

XPx32 can handle 4 gigs of memory. While XPx64 can handle 128 gigs.

Can the typical motherboard support 4 gigs? Check the manufacturer. Most 4 and 8 cpu motherboards will support 16 to 32 gigs. Though, this is merely 32bit thinking. Typically 4 gigs per cpu.

I think, I'd have to google it, xpx64 supports 4 terrabytes of virtual memory....

 

beyond 3GB is overkill in any scenario, I rather have 1-2gb of high performance ram over all those modules sticking there. Also the reason (if i recall) that mobos are limited in how much ram they carry is because of ECC/ Non ECC types. Non ECC only supports 3-4gb and ECC ram which is much more costly supports alot more since it has error check and what not.

 

I run 1GB of corsairs value select... because i dont have a job (DUH!!!!) and its really cheap, and because i hear there isnt a big difference between value select and "Performance" series.

 

Yeah there is.

 

No there isn't.

Not everyone plays the benchmark game. +/- 5 fps (IF it makes that big a diff) won't make or break a game.

Playing devil's advocate, my 3dmark scores are only a few hundred or so less than people with similar specs and performance ram, last I checked.

 

I wasn't even thinking about benchmarks, I was thinking more along the lines of reliability, life expectancy, quality, compatability.

 

Corsair value select has excellent reviews in regards to compatbility and quality. More expensive, performance ram doesnt equal more life expectancy, or compatibility (well maybe in some circumstances). Its all mass produced, there is a reason most ram, regardless of brand, has a lifetime warranty. Most of the hablooey about performance ram being more compatible is marketing hype.

Difference between Corsair XMS and value select? Value select is slower, and near half the price. XMS is meant for overclocking, and has heat spreaders on it. Both are from a quality name, and are a quality product.

 

So why then, when I wanted to upgrade my TPC, Toshiba only continued to warrent my TPC if i purchased (not through them specifically) ram only made by kingston? Doesn't make sense.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/images/smilies/confused.gif

 

Sure it does. They want you to stay with what is already in there. It makes perfect sense. Maybe thats all they tested. OEMs don't manufacture their own brand name of ram. They don't manufacture anything. They don't have anything special that would make them less compatible with other ram out there. Heck, I've seen Asus motherboards in both Sony and HP computers. But I bet if I call them, they will tell me what brand of ram to get that they will support. Do you think Asus built a board specifically for OEMs to only work with certain brands of ram? Of course not.




Just because a certain brand doesn't end up on a compatibility list doesn't mean it wont work. It usually means it hasn't been tested. Thats not to say there isn't crappy ram out there that doesn't work for crap. Not tested doesn't equal incompatible.

To blindly say ram is not quality because there is the word value in the name of it, is silly. It is Corsair, and they are known for quality.

Not that any of this needed to be said, a quick Google look up of the ram confirms what I have been saying.

 

Forgot to mention toshiba rep said any other type of ram MFG would eventually screw up the TPC, including (From wat i remember) ocz, corsair, pny, etc... Im so tired that I didn't understand the rest of your post, will read tommorow morning hopefully.

 

Don't forget the Toshiba rep works in a callcenter, makes peanuts, has poor training, and is reading a script There is nothing about Toshiba PCs that make them any more special than any other OEM junk, er, computers.