More RAM = Better Gaming Performance?

[Vio|37]

Hi there guys

With my system I'm running 512MB of PC3200 TwinX (x2 256MB) modules and was thinking if I made the move and got myself another pair of TwinX 256MB modules making an overall total of 1024MB if it would increase 3D benchmarks score and offer better gaming performance?

I was told that 512MB is plenty and more than that would offer no increase in performance and some people say, the more RAM the better.

PS:
The above sounds a little confusing in regards to how many modules I would like to run. So basically I want to fill all 4 memory slots with 256MB modules.

So guys, I'm quite curious about your thoughts...

[Spongebob]

Hi there guys

With my system I'm running 512MB of PC3200 TwinX (x2 256MB) modules and was thinking if I made the move and got myself another pair of TwinX 256MB modules making an overall total of 1024MB if it would increase 3D benchmarks score and offer better gaming performance?

I was told that 512MB is plenty and more than that would offer no increase in performance and some people say, the more RAM the better.

PS:
The above sounds a little confusing in regards to how many modules I would like to run. So basically I want to fill all 4 memory slots with 256MB modules.

So guys, I'm quite curious about your thoughts...

Extra Ram past your 512 mb might help certain Ram hogging applications open up a little faster but will not increase your gaming performance unless something else you have running is hogging enough of it that it bogs down whatever your doing. Ofcoase getting faster Ram modules and taking your oldies out would give you a slight boost in performance, and I do mean slight.

[SearanoX]

Yeah, it won't make a huge difference. 512 megs of PC3200 is perfectly fine. The only way you could really notice a difference is by using faster RAM or using a mobo with dual channel (with two sticks).

[Darthtanion]

The last stats I looked at still showed 512MB to be the sweet spot with regards to performance -vs- price of additional memory. Anything more than this may help ever so slightly, but not enough to make it worth the added expense.

Unless you're doing a lot of photo and/or movie editing, you will do fine with the 512MB you currently have installed. :D

[Fatguy3]

Yep, most of us nutjobs buying 1GB (2x512) of RAM for our systems are thining like 6 months to a year ahead. But anything over 1GB is gonna be completely useless, even for the length of the time the system will most likely last.

[Vio|37]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Might do a clean format and install of Windows over the weekend and benchmark again and have also decided to stick with my current 512MB.

[Radicus]

I think it depends on what games you play... I play Dark age of Camelot, and I'll usually run 2 accounts at the same time. running 2 accounts uses about 700mb ram. So, in my case 1gig was what I needed:p

[maximus7001]

I have tested this before with 3dmark'01se about a year ago. Huge difference between 256 and 512, small but noticable difference between 512 and 768(a few 100 points), and no difference at all between 768 and 1024. So I tried 512 + 64 and to my surprise, it was real close to the score from 768. This led me to determine that the sweet spot is slightly higher than 512(not much at all, 64 to 128 more before there is no difference. And certainly not enough to run out and buy too much ram wasting $.

All ram tested was cas2 pc133@133mhz and the 64 is a pull from a new machine(older).

[Beefy]

Just a small point:

There are a couple games out there that I know of (Planetside and Battlefield 1942) that thrive on 1GB of RAM. There is a noticable difference in loading times, however game play remains the same.

[Radicus]

Good point Beefy. I think any mmorg is going use at least 500mb of ram.

I dont know about you guys, but my system uses about 200mb of ram at idle. I always get rid of unnessary processes after boot up.
does this sound normal?