Is 32GB of RAM overkill?

[GarfieldtheCat]

I built a PC this summer. It has 16GB of RAM. I have 2 DIMM slots open. However, Corsair, the manufacturer of my RAM, is sending me mail on upgrading to 32GB. Is 32GB overkill?

What are you doing with your PC? Most likely the answer to your question is yes.

While you probably are running 64-bit Windows that can use greater then 4Gb of RAM, unless you are running 64-bit applications, each app can only use 4Gb of RAM apiece.

I don't know of many 64-bit apps...I think photoshop has a 64bit version, and there probably are a few others I don't know about.

So to use that much RAM, you either need to:


1) be running 64-bit apps that can use up all that RAM
2) be running a lot of 32-bit apps to use up that RAM

If you aren't doing either one of those things, you don't need 32gb of RAM.

For #2, lots of times people will run multiple VM's that can eat RAM, so then it is useful. But just websurfing, office, and gaming won't ever use that much.

 

[Morbus]

I have a C2D running a set of 2x2GB Team Elite 333MHz DDR2 RAM together with a set of 2x2GB Corsair 400MHz DDR2 RAM. It runs flawlessly. I have both running at CL5 400MHz, with the same figures on both of them, so I don't see why they wouldn't be stable. Unless the weaker set was having trouble handling the overclock, which it isn't, everything is perfect.

 

[Gillbot]

No such thing as overkill when it comes to RAM. :awe:

I have 16Gb in my desktop and laptop, back when it was $50/16Gb. I should've bought moar.

I got mine when it was cheap too, I had 64gb in my desktop and I have 32gb in my laptop. Why? Because WHY NOT!

 

[Compman55]

I have a C2D running a set of 2x2GB Team Elite 333MHz DDR2 RAM together with a set of 2x2GB Corsair 400MHz DDR2 RAM. It runs flawlessly. I have both running at CL5 400MHz, with the same figures on both of them, so I don't see why they wouldn't be stable. Unless the weaker set was having trouble handling the overclock, which it isn't, everything is perfect.

Without a doubt some ram can be timed to the faster pair, but not always the case. Lets use kingston for example. The first pair was based on samsung chips. One year later, the next pair was with kingston brand chips. The two sets would never run together, but would run seperate without a single error on memtest. Other motherboards had the same problem I tried them in. The kingston brand chips was actually a rebrand hynix. After rma'ing the first pair of sammys, the full matched set of kingston / hynix worked. Alot of effort for a simple upgrade, and I wanted the sammys, but they advised against it because they had no stock left.

So most of the time with todays hardware it can work unmatched. But also it may not, even from the same brand.

 

[Drummerdude]

Lets put it this way. I'm running 4gb DDR2 6400, and I'm doing just fine. I do light to moderate gaming, lots of multitasking ( browsing, editing video/audio, netflix,vlc, etc ) and it's still enough for me. 8gb would be nice, but geeze, 32gb...suuuuuuper overkill.

 

[jacktesterson]

I don't even come close to using 8GB the majority of the time, let alone 16 or 32.

Depends on your use case.

Gaming? - 16GB already overkill.

 

[Coup27]

I say 8GB is minimum today, 16GB is the standard, and 32 is overkill.

Based on what exactly? RAM requirements are based on the usage model. You cannot make such a sweeping one size fits all statement. The majority of new general purpose PC's from OEM's come with 4GB.

 

[_Rick_]

I'm idling at the desktop with a few browers open at 12.x GB.
For me 32GB was a no-brainer, as I was just headbutting into my previous 8GB limit, and at the time RAM was hitting all-time low pricing, so no reason to only get 16, only to pay more later.
This way I have plenty of cache as well, and don't have to worry about opening big files or closing stuff in the background when I want to do some gaming.

But then, back then RAM was around 20% cheaper than it is today, and I got 32GB for around $200 (190€ shipped, IIRC).
If you can get under $200 for 32 GB, I'd probably go for it, simply to max the platform out, and not having to think about ever upgrading RAM again.
It also depends on how long you want to use your current platform. If you'll be getting a new PC in around 18 months, I probably wouldn't do it, and instead save the money for DDR4 down the road, whereas if you want to keep it another 3+ years, except for a GPU- and storage upgrade, then buying DDR3 now is definitely going to future proof it.

 

[jacktesterson]

Based on what exactly? RAM requirements are based on the usage model. You cannot make such a sweeping one size fits all statement. The majority of new general purpose PC's from OEM's come with 4GB.

Exactly - Heck for most everyday users, 4GB is still enough.

My wife uses a Dell D620 Laptop with 2GB of ram and a 120GB SSD (Older Core 2 Duo with Intel Graphics) with Windows 8.1 and it still does everything she wants with ease. (And feels plenty fast)

We need to know what he/she is doing.

Simple everyday downloading, music, youtube, social media, office, etc, 4GB is plenty let alone 16GB.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I'm just surfing the web and playing music via iTunes and I'm already using over 7gb of ram.

 

[jacktesterson]

I'm just surfing the web and playing music via iTunes and I'm already using over 7gb of ram.

Highlighted your problem.

Worst software ever


I'm on my work laptop - have 2 browsers open, 1 with 8 tabs

Running skype

Running a few different small apps we use

running Cisco VPN

running go-to-meeting

running snagit

Currently using 4.1GB of Ram (16GB of Ram available)

 

[Makaveli]

As this is coming from somebody who is asking if they need 32GB of RAM, I felt his advice was quite helpful in determining your current RAM requirements.

Agreed Coup,

I thought your response was fitting.

If you have to ask you most likely don't need it.

And the reason the vendor is emailing is simple they want your money regardless if you need the ram or not.

 

[Pottuvoi]

If you do any 'heavy' graphics work, get it.
My 18GB is not enough and I run out of it at around ~22M polygons..

 

[Squeetard]

I have 32gb of ram. I run a 24gb ram disk and it holds whatever game I am currently playing. Zero load times and instant saves are awesome.

 

[jacktesterson]

If you do any 'heavy' graphics work, get it.
My 18GB is not enough and I run out of it at around ~22M polygons..

Exactly

Use Case

I'm pretty sure based on the OP asking this as others have stated means he doesn't really need it.

 

[JManInPhoenix]

Absolutely