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256 or 512....notice much?

W

WA261

Diamond Member
just wondering if i would notice...i have no problems now...dont run many things at the same time on my system...but if there is a big diff i would not mind getting another 256 stick..
 
You would only notice the difference if you managed to fill all 256MB of RAM and hitting the swap file.

More RAM will reduce swapping from the hard drive and so increase speed.
 
I also have 256MB of RAM and I notice that when I start up RTCW it's hitting the hard-drive like crazy for about 10 minutes then it stops. I figure another 256MB, for me anyhow, will definately help when even more complex games come out such as DoomIII, Soldier of Fortune2, and Unreal2. Grab it now as the prices are steadily climbing.
 
I dont know about the rises prices. It cant rise much higher than what they are right now can they?
 
2 years ago I was paying $166 for 128 meg sticks of pc133... it can go higher, but I hope noe, I'm pissed that I didn't buy more when Cruciall was selling pc2100 for $28 for 256 meg sticks.
 
Any thoughts on who gets the better of this matchup: 512MB 7.5ns PC2100 (Crucial) vs. 256MB 5ns PC2700 (Kingmax)? The Kingmax setup would also leave $40 left over to spend on other components.
 


<< Any thoughts on who gets the better of this matchup: 512MB 7.5ns PC2100 (Crucial) vs. 256MB 5ns PC2700 (Kingmax)? The Kingmax setup would also leave $40 left over to spend on other components. >>



Depends on what you use the machine for...The CAS2 RAM will give you higher performance all around whereas the 512MB of RAM at CAS2.5 will give you lower performance all around except when you get into a situation where you need >256MB of memory.

For games yeah with 256MB you'll be hitting the swap file while loading levels (for newer games) but once the level loads the CAS latency of the RAM becomes a performance limiting factor...

If you just do a ton of photoshop, director, web work then 512MBs of RAM would probably be a better value for you. For most "normal" day to day computer usage plus games, the 256MB of CAS2 would be better imho.

Gaidin
 
If I am using 2 sticks of crucial 256 MB and I want to upgrade should I go with 1 512 Mb or another 256 Mb, I only have one slot left. I have WinXp pro, have photoshop and am getting into animation.
 
2 years ago I was paying $166 for 128 meg sticks of pc133

/ voice like Grandpa Simpson

Back in my day I paid $40 each for 4 - 1MB simms so don't go tellin' me how "high" the prices are ya' young whippersnapper! 😉

Oops - I peed myself...

 


<< If I am using 2 sticks of crucial 256 MB and I want to upgrade should I go with 1 512 Mb or another 256 Mb, I only have one slot left. I have WinXp pro, have photoshop and am getting into animation. >>



Both Crucial 256 and 512MB DIMMS are CAS=2.5 so there isn't any speed difference between the RAM. If you want a gig of RAM, get the 512. 🙂 If you want to save a decent chunk of change get the 256MB one. With animation and heavy photoshop work you want the most RAM you can afford...

Gaidin
 
Don't fix what isn't broken. Watch prices and if they fall enough then get another stick, but if not and you're not having problems I'd say stick with the 256.
 
There's no much different between 256M and 512MB DDR PC2100 in my computer. I felt the big different when I replaced my 128mb to 256MB.... my computer can take a breath more freely. Most of the time I open 5-8 applications at the same time (excell, words, Internet explorer, yahoo and msn messenger, Minitab, SAS, statransfer and watching TV with pinnacle), I still have my computer running flawlessly either with 256MB or 512MB.. barely seen the differences. Of course if you have extra money, it's time to buy more sticks... my expectation, memory prices will still rise until the end of this Summer.
 
the thing i hate about RAM(i guess this applies to most computer parts) is if theres an earth quake in taiwan, prices rocket. i remember at one point 2 years ago a 64mb SDRAM dimm cost £150!!! (like $250)
 
Hmm, when I had 256mb ram it was pc100 and in a 700Mhz rig, when I got 512mb ram it was pc133 and on a 1.2Ghz T-Bird so I can't compare.

I can say however, that there aren't much difference between 512Mb ram and 1Gb, once one of my 512mb sticks had gotten loose and i didn't notice untill 3dMark said that it only had 512mb ram.
 
On my system I have 256MB RAM and WinXP, I have never used more than 180MB of RAM in games, programs, etc. So unless you are doing DV editing 256 should be plenty.
 


<< the thing i hate about RAM(i guess this applies to most computer parts) is if theres an earth quake in taiwan, prices rocket. i remember at one point 2 years ago a 64mb SDRAM dimm cost ?50!!! (like $250) >>



The price spike was there BEFORE the quake. the taiwan earthquake only helped it to increase it further.

The price spike was due to RAM shortage from manufactureres getting ready for new platforms such as DDRs and RDRAM.

Before the quake, price on a cheap OEM ram was 2bux per meg.
 
i'm running xp pro n a 1.4 tbird/epox 8k7a+/2x256 crucial 2100
i definitely notice an difference between 256 and 512
all around smoother, and looks like ram is going to jump again anyway..so better now than later
 


<< On my system I have 256MB RAM and WinXP, I have never used more than 180MB of RAM in games, programs, etc. So unless you are doing DV editing 256 should be plenty. >>


Hmm, I just checked how much was used on my machine right now under normal use (Word, IE, OutLook, some downloads, WinAmp) and it only has 763Mb physical ram free, so I guess it does use more than 256Mb ram under normal use when it can.
 
I don't..


This computer: Intel Pentium® III 600MHz CPU and 192MB PC100 SDRAM on BX440 chipset board.

My usual computer(out of service right now): Athlon 1.4GHz, 512MB DDR PC2100 on AMD761/VIA 686B chipset board.

I don't notice much and that explains why I haven't really bothered to fix my main machine for a while.

I surf the net, burn CD's, listen to my mp3's, write reports and such, a juiced up deluxe eMachine if you will..

 
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