RAM VS Pagefile on SSD

[hhhd1]

I suppose RAM is always better than having Pagefile on an SSD, but if it costs much more, is it still worth it ?

Assuming RAM requirement is about 24gb.

In my experience, when the pagefile gets full (12+gb of active pagefile), the system slows down a little bit, mostly because of CPU usage, and sometime because of IO usage, as it seems that when pagefile gets big, it adds significant stress to the processor too.

The problem is that most laptops only support 16gb of RAM as maximum (2x8gb) , while the few laptops that support 32gb costs significantly allot more.

Would it be better to just get the fastest MLC SSD for pagefile or upgrade the ram ?

 

[Cerb]

The page file allows all RAM to be used, while also guaranteeing applications available total memory that exceeds that amount (a program might allocate 100MB, but use 60MB, FI). I turn it off, because Windows behaving like it's still the late 90s annoys me, when memory pressure starts kicking in, but that does mean having much less usable memory for commit (and, in between upgrade times, it's almost always a program leaking, not anything I want to be able to keep working).

If you use lots of memory, you need lots of RAM, regardless of page file. If you expect to have to be using the page file much, though, you're talking about the PC's speed dropping by a factor of well over 1000, so even with SSDs, it's not a valid comparison. With a notebook incapable of using more RAM, you'll need to use less RAM than if it had more, end of story.

If you don't want a big used PF, make it smaller. But, if you don't have enough RAM, you will be sorely disappointed if you try to substitute that with flash.

 

[Carfax83]

The problem is that most laptops only support 16gb of RAM as maximum (2x8gb) , while the few laptops that support 32gb costs significantly allot more.

Cerb already gave a great reply, so I'm asking this just out of curiosity. What kind of programs are you running where you require more than 16GB of RAM?

16GB is considered overkill for anyone that isn't using their PC/laptop for heavy professional work so I'm just curious..

 

[Z15CAM]

With an SSD Boot drive, I don't whether you have the skill to do it but run a Ram Disc Win Sluff and dump the Page Page File to a HDD.

 

[tweakboy]

No need for page file,, disable. If you have 8GB or more. thx

 

[hhhd1]

@Cerb
Thanks for reply, have to consider the money factor, but I think you are correct.

Cerb already gave a great reply, so I'm asking this just out of curiosity. What kind of programs are you running where you require more than 16GB of RAM?

16GB is considered overkill for anyone that isn't using their PC/laptop for heavy professional work so I'm just curious..

vmware, chrome, firefox and few others.

My average ram usage usually is between 12gb and 24gb, rarely outside of that range, the maximum was one time around 26gb.

 

[Cerb]

There's always the used market. You can get SB and IB notebooks at good prices, these days. Make it a Precision, or HP or Lenovo equivalent, or a single-owner good-condition Asus ROG, and there you go.