How much RAM for a non-gamer?

[b0mbrman]

Hi guys, I'm new to AnandTech and have a sort of beginner question to ask. LOL

I bought a Dell (Be nice, I said I was a n0ob ) w/256mb of RAM a year back and am starting to get sick of the slow. I'm noticing there's some great deals on 512mb sticks these days and am thinking about getting one or maybe two.

The "maybe" is because I don't know if I'll feel any substantial difference between adding 512 vs. 1024. The most memory-intensive thing I will probably ever do will be to have Winamp playing a song while I switch between Excel, Word, and Photoshop files, and have AIM, Firefiox, and Y! Messenger, open in the background.

Alright guys. Your thoughts?

 

[nick1985]

another 256 would be fine

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: nick1985
another 256 would be fine

Oh cool. No reason to even get a whole 512mb?

 

[Appledrop]

512mb is fine for non-gaming, even a little gaming, but not the new large FPS and MMOs, thats all

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Hi guys, I'm new to ATOT and have a sort of beginner question to ask. LOL
~
I will probably ever do will be to have Winamp playing a song while I switch between Excel, Word, and Photoshop files, and have AIM, Firefiox, and Y! Messenger, open in the background.

This is ATGH, from the looks of your post count, you are intimately familiar with OT.

Get 512mb or a gig of corsair value 2x512mb for $135

GAIM

 

[Herbman]

If it was me i would get a 512 meg stick and run with 768.

If your doing stuff with photoshop or multi programs running more memory can only help.

 

[Maxil223]

Its Better To Be Safe Than Sorry, so go out and buy 2x512 Corsair Value, quality ram and a fair price.

 

[dc5]

768mb is such an ugly number :[. add another 256mb and you will be fine.

 

[b0mbrman]

Alright, since I've already exposed myself as a n0ob, here's an extra dumb question.

How do I know what I can buy assuming I'm looking at Newegg? Here's what my computer's spec-sheet says

Architecture - Dual Channel DDR SDRAM
Memory type - PC2700 (333-MHz)

Newegg's "Type:" dropdown menu gives me the options of 168pin SDRAM DIMM and 184pin DDR DIMM, and their "Speed:" dropdown menu lets me pick PC2700 (DDR333 166MHz).

BTW, thanks for the quick response guys

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: ribbon13

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Hi guys, I'm new to AnandTech and have a sort of beginner question to ask. LOL
~
I will probably ever do will be to have Winamp playing a song while I switch between Excel, Word, and Photoshop files, and have AIM, Firefiox, and Y! Messenger, open in the background.

This is ATGH, from the looks of your post count, you are intimately familiar with OT.

Get 512mb or a gig of corsair value 2x512mb for $135

GAIM

I may give GAIM another look but I've found the other AIM replacements to be more trouble than they're worth

 

[imported_bum]

The people here are so willing to help... All these replies to a "noob" with 20000 posts

 

[DanDaMan315]

Buy that gig of Mushkin memory on Newegg for $123, thats a steal. Then just ebay that 256 piece.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: bum
The people here are so willing to help... All these replies to a "noob" with 20000 posts

19292! :|

And it's been three years since I last built a computer...Just to show how long ago that was, here are the specs of that computer - Text.

 

[Hurricane Andrew]

I'd just go to Crucial.com, plug in your system, order, and off you go. I'm not a heavy gamer, and have had nothing but great luck with Crucial memory, both for my old Gateway P-III, some work boxes, and my present home built PC.

Their prices are good, and the quality excellent. Doesn't overclock well from what I hear, but that's not an issue for me and it doesn't sound like it is for you either. The last 512MB stick I bought, they dropped the price about a week after I bought it. I sent them a very nice e-mail simply asking for credit towards a future purchase, and they one-upped me and just refunded the difference the next day.

 

[edmundoab]

I'd say 512 MB in total would do good for a while.
256.. there is some limitations when u use applications.
at least I noticed the difference after switching to 512MB sometime back

 

[w00t]

512mb is fine
for what you do.

 

[zerocool84]

o yea and i love GAIM

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: Hurricane Andrew
I'd just go to Crucial.com, plug in your system, order, and off you go.

Oh awesome.

That works perfectly

Apparently, I'm "184-pin DIMM" and I "must [install] modules in pairs"

Oh, and again, thanks all. You guys are flippin' sweet

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: dc5
768mb is such an ugly number :[. add another 256mb and you will be fine.

Yeah, cause like, 250GB HDs are such an ugly size too. Better to get a single 160GB instead.

I see a performance difference between 512MB and 768MB too. You forget, any RAM that is not absolutely needed by your apps' working-set(s), can be used to enhance performance in the form of disk-caching. If you apps take up 512MB, then there's no extra room for disk cache, and Windows' will page some of your apps out to the pagefile to make room.

The only issue would be, potential incompatibilities between the existing 256MB DIMM, and any 512MB DIMMs that he adds. So, depending on budget, two matched 512MBs might be a better upgrade as far as compatibility is concerned.

Oh, he didn't list which mobo, but since Dell uses Intel, it's likely a P4, and likely dual-channel capable, so in that case, he migh well be better off either matching the existing 256MB with another, or removing that one and installing two 512MB DIMMs.

 

[KamiXkaze]

ditto 512 is all you need for now

KxK

 

[b0mbrman]

Here's a random thought. For my needs, could the additional 512 mb keep my computer from becoming obsolete until June 07?

 

[InlineFive]

No gaming and light gaming: 512MB
MMOs and some FPS: 1GB

 

[bluemax]

Which model of Dell PC do you have?

With that info, it'll be easy for one of us (me! me!) to look up the specs and determine whether you have or will benefit from dual-channel RAM.

I'm with the fella' who recommended a single 512MB stick. 768 is a good amount of RAM that should get you through most intensive tasks without trouble. Better a little too much than not enough.

And $-per-MB, a 512MB stick is cheaper than 256.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: bluemax
Which model of Dell PC do you have?

With that info, it'll be easy for one of us (me! me!) to look up the specs and determine whether you have or will benefit from dual-channel RAM.

I'm with the fella' who recommended a single 512MB stick. 768 is a good amount of RAM that should get you through most intensive tasks without trouble. Better a little too much than not enough.

And $-per-MB, a 512MB stick is cheaper than 256.

Oops. I have a Dell 4600 - Text - with the P4 2.8

 

[CraigRT]

if you get a 512 stick, you'll have 768 which is probably a good amount (considering being a bit future compatible as well)