How much RAM <should> I have for Win XP?

[Epsil0n00]

I am running a Pentium 3 and planning to isntall Windows XP on it soon. I am wondering how much RAM I should have. My mobo doesn't use DDR, just regular SDRAM. The literature for XP says 64 MB minimum and 128 Recommended, but I am so sure that that is a load of shiat. How much RAM should I have to run comfortably?
LMK. Thanks!

 

[boyRacer]

256 is good. 512 is better... and recommended. anything after that gets diminishing returns.

 

[Sugadaddy]

256 or more...

 

[Bovinicus]

As much as your budget will allow for. I would suggest 384MB. The difference is there from 256MB, but the jump to 512MB is probably much less noticeable.

 

[VBboy]

128 MB to suffer
256 MB to run it OK
384 MB to run it well
512 MB to run it great

 

[ahsia]

512mb recommended....

the more the better....

I personally would put 1GB.....

 

[fkloster]

I would recommend 1 gb to the power user
512 to the gamer

 

[MasterHoss]

It runs fine with 256MB...I'm running it with 512 myself (get yourself some RAM using the AnandTech discount link to Crucial)

 

[Demonicon]

I have 256 right now, and 256 is NOT enough for XP, just running XP takes up almost 100MB.

If you do any gaming or graphic work on your system, consider 512 a necessity and 256 a bare minimum. HTH

[EDIT]
This diminishing returns some of you speak of is a Win 9.x thing, the more the better in a Win2K and XP type system.

 

[nortexoid]

for most users, 256-384 is good...there is a difference in some cases between 256 and 384...anything beyond and i haven't noticed much if anything...

but since ram is so cheap, u might as populate your banks w/ higher density modules lest u prevent upgrading in the future.

 

[Epsil0n00]

If this was my home machine, I'd go ahead and put in a gig of DDR2100, (which I plan to do in about a month when my new rig is complete). However, this question was necessary because I was asking about a computer at work. I need the boss' authorization to order a RAM upgrade and they want to conserve money, yada yada... So she wanted to know how much was needed to run the system at a comfortable level. I personally wouldn't go with anything less that 512 DDR.
~~Don't you just love bureaucracy?~~

 

[erub]

I don't see any reason for that much RAM...I have 320 megs, with 5 copies of IE open, winamp, AIM and various other junky apps - yeah go SETI - only 170 megs in in use

 

[Epsil0n00]

Why so much RAM? One word --> Photoshop.

Need more justification? --> Digital Video Editing

More? --> to draw the envy of other geeks around you and move up in the pecking order. HA

 

[whazzzzzup]

i have 512mb and luv it!....got 2 256mb ram sticks for only $40 bout 3 months ago..bet its even cheaper now!

god i wish i had 3 slots so i could put 786mb...can never have enough ram!

 

[earthman]

At least 2 gigabytes. Unless you're running Office XP, then you need 4.