How much memory do I need?

[Lou3]

***Merry Christmas***

I was just looking at Crucial's Web page that recommends memory amounts for different system configurations. In case you haven't seen it, you choose your mobo, processor, OS, and a benchmark test; then you get a graph that shows how that system performed in Crucial's benchmark trials. They didn't have my mobo listed, so I had to approximate. The horizontal bar graph for that system made it look like 512MB blew away 256MB by a factor of four, but looking closely at the figures showed 256MB scoring a 3D Mark2001 12333, and the 512MB scoring 12478. In other words, the graph is scaled in a way that makes 140 points in the 12000 range look devastating. So, at least according to 3D Mark 2001 scores, 256MB is the better value. Am I missing something?

Here's the system I'm building:

2500+
Via KM400 mobo
GF4 Ti 4x00 or 9600 Pro
Fortissimo II
XP Home

I do a lot of Web surfing, some gaming at fairly standard settings, listen to music, and watch DVDs. Is it worth it for me to buy 512MB PC2700?

 

[Ionizer86]

Nevermind this particular bench. 512Mb will do you wonders since everything will feel faster and your PC will be much more responsive. It?s way too easy to exceed 256MB with an OS like XP.

 

[Zipp]

I think 512mb's is a good number to shoot for especially if you game on your PC and XP is your operating system. You do notice a big difference going from 256 to 512,well at least I did for many things besides gaming too.....Go for 512

 

[Ionizer86]

BTW I'd strongly recommend an nForce 2 board instead of a KM400 board.

 

[Kadarin]

Any reason to go higher than 512?

 

[Lou3]

Thanks, everyone. 512MB it is. The KM400 is already in the case ready to go, so that'll be my new mobo. I won't bother upgrading until I can take advantage of new-fangled stuff like PCI Express.