4GB for gaming?

[redlinez33]

I currently have 2GB of memory, but with the G.Skill sale (4GB for $80 after rebate) I was thinking of upgrading to 4GB. Only thing I really do with my computer is play games (and surf the web).... I will be getting a 8800GT soon, and probably a 20 or 22" (1680x1050) monitor as well.

Will 4GB of ram really help in any sort of way? I do have Vista 64 (but not installed), so if needed I could install it. Or is it a waste of money?

Games I will be playing (soon as I upgrade) is Crysis and UT 2k3

My specs for my computer are:

Intel Core 2 6400 (2.13 @ 2.4)
Asus P5B Deluxe
7900GTX (upgrading to 8800GT soon)
2GB (currently)


Thanks for any advice!

 

[dan442]

I got better framerates in Crysis when running 4 Gigs, but my computer was quirky with 4x1 sticks installed, so I went back to 2 gigs.

Is the G. Skill 2x2 or 4x1? Where is it on sale?

 

[JustaGeek]

Alternatively, add 2x512MB kit, for a total of 3GB, as I did.

Especially if you are going to continue using the 32 bit Windows.

Quake 4 performance improved considerably in my case, with the Ultra Settings. With 2GB, I was approaching 100% RAM use, now it peaks at 66 - 72% (yes, it does go beyond the 2GB mark!).

 

[chizow]

Really depends on what games you play. Some games will push 2GB to the limit and adding a GT and a new 22" monitor (which will probably increase the resolution and texture settings you play at) may get you to the point you see a noticeable difference with 4GB.

If you already have Vista 64, I think it'd be a worthwhile upgrade although Vista 64/4GB can introduce entirely different problems in exchange for a better gameplay experience. Personally I'm glad I made the move to 4GB even though it caused a slew of other problems, most of which have been fixed at this point through Vista hot fixes and driver/BIOS updates. Just picked up a 2nd kit of 4GB for 8GB total, and even though there's been a small improvement in LOTRO as a result, it was more so I could run multiple games at once without having to worry about memory.

 

[redlinez33]

problems? What kind of problems? Or are you talking about Vista 64 problems?

 

[pcslookout]

Originally posted by: chizow
Really depends on what games you play. Some games will push 2GB to the limit and adding a GT and a new 22" monitor (which will probably increase the resolution and texture settings you play at) may get you to the point you see a noticeable difference with 4GB.

If you already have Vista 64, I think it'd be a worthwhile upgrade although Vista 64/4GB can introduce entirely different problems in exchange for a better gameplay experience. Personally I'm glad I made the move to 4GB even though it caused a slew of other problems, most of which have been fixed at this point through Vista hot fixes and driver/BIOS updates. Just picked up a 2nd kit of 4GB for 8GB total, and even though there's been a small improvement in LOTRO as a result, it was more so I could run multiple games at once without having to worry about memory.

Why do you run multiple games at once and one game doesn't effect the other while you are running two games or more?

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: pcslookout

Originally posted by: chizow
Really depends on what games you play. Some games will push 2GB to the limit and adding a GT and a new 22" monitor (which will probably increase the resolution and texture settings you play at) may get you to the point you see a noticeable difference with 4GB.

If you already have Vista 64, I think it'd be a worthwhile upgrade although Vista 64/4GB can introduce entirely different problems in exchange for a better gameplay experience. Personally I'm glad I made the move to 4GB even though it caused a slew of other problems, most of which have been fixed at this point through Vista hot fixes and driver/BIOS updates. Just picked up a 2nd kit of 4GB for 8GB total, and even though there's been a small improvement in LOTRO as a result, it was more so I could run multiple games at once without having to worry about memory.

Why do you run multiple games at once and one game doesn't effect the other while you are running two games or more?

MMOs can be slow/boring at times and I got a few other guild members to pick up COD4. So if there's nothing going on in LOTRO we hop on COD4 for some quick fun. Some MMOs allow you to run multiple instances of a game as well, which opens up things like 2 boxing or self-muling etc.

As for one affecting the other, really depends on the game. If a game allows you to alt-tab it can run in the background without requiring much in terms of CPU utilization. Vista by design only allows 1 app at a time to control the video driver, but in exchange, keeps a copy of the driver's memory in system memory for fast switching. End result is that the program will use varying levels of CPU while running in the background, however, whatever system RAM it needs to run normally are still needed and used. That's where the extra RAM comes in handy.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I had JustaGeek's setup, and still need to test the 2x512 kit -- which I pulled out of the system because of some very non-random errors in stress-tests. That's the solution for Win XP, which won't recognize more than 3+ GB if 4GB is socketed.

The other drawback is the command-rate: the chances are much higher that with four sockets filled, the command-rate will need to be set to 2T, and I like the extra bandwidth when it's set to 1T.

So there's your dilemma -- which can only be resolved in VISTA with a 2x2GB kit, and probably would work fine with XP, but you only get 3+ GB for socketing 4GB in two slots.