512 or 1gig?!?! What do I do??

[ku]

I just ordered CPU and motherboard to upgrade my current one (shown below). The parts I ordered was the Abit NF7 and Athlon XP 2600+ Mobile. I found a great deal on the hot deals forums for ram and I can get 512 (1 stick) for $80 or 512 (2 sticks) also for $80 (both are PC3200 kingston). Now the question is, should I spend the extra money to go 1gig or should I just stick with 512. I am really REALLY short on money atm but I could dish out another $80 if it's really worth it. My primary use is for gaming and I don't know if it'll make much of a difference. Anyway, thanks for any suggestions =P

 

[Budman]

Since you are

I am really REALLY short on money atm

.

I would get 512 megs now but in the near future when you got a few spare buck upgrade to 1gig for nice gaming goodness.

 

[sharq]

I would say go with one stick of 512.

 

[pukemon]

you should be good to go with 512 now. memory isn't necessarily going to get more expensive (*knock on wood) so in the future, you should be able to get another stick of 512 for less than $80. maybe even without stupid rebates.

 

[Davegod]

the one stick of 512mb now

though games are starting to use >512mb ram if it's available, er well Far Cry does anyway, and um... but by buying a single stick you should have no problems getting another later

 

[BFG10K]

If you're really strapped for cash then don't bother. You can always pick up another stick later on.

 

[mjolnir2k]

Been running *just 512MB myself and game quite well even with titles like AOM, SIMS, Morrowind etc..

 

[soulflyfan]

It depends on your need. If you game or video edit 24/7, get more ram, because the new generation of games (farcry, doom 3, Half life 2) will eat lots of ram. Also i think the Abit NF7 is dual channel? in which case try to have two sticks of identical ram (preferably a dual channel kit) to take advantage of the additional memory bandwidth.

 

[KristopherKubicki]

1GB.

Kristopher

 

[RollWave]

Originally posted by: KristopherKubicki
1GB.

Kristopher

 

[bob4432]

get 1GB, i have the same video card as you and have run basically your same setup except i have a xp2000 and noticed a big differenc when going to 1GB. what games though? that may make a difference. from all the info i have read the dual channel on the athlon isn't nearly as important as it is on the p4. just what i have read.

 

[Acanthus]

The games you are playing are kind of important, if you play any online RPGs, any of the battlefield series, or the Unreal series (2003+), Simcity 4, or if you plan to play the up and coming sledgehammer to your computers penfifteen type games like doom3 or half life 2, i would also reccomend 1GB.

A lot of games can benefit from more than 512MB of memory, but if you are hard up for cash you can always suffer with a single 512MB stick and hold off for the other.

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: mjolnir2k
Been running *just 512MB myself and game quite well even with titles like AOM, SIMS, Morrowind etc..

Would i be correct in thinking that SIMS are the sims titles? or something else... Because my little sisters computer, which is a compaq persario 5190, AMD K-6-2 450mhz, 384MB of PC66, 8GB HD, 2MB integrated ATi Rage video, and integrated sound, runs the sims...