Performance difference between 128mb and 256mb?

[GoldenBear]

I currently have 128mb of memory, and things are pretty smooth..Would I notice much of a difference if I upgraded to 256? I basicaly use Win2k for applications and '98 for games.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

I'm not sure it would do you any good unless you're working some serious programs at the same time. 128 being the industry standard has to mean something to you.

 

[dawks]

I went from 128 to 192 and its been a major boost. Quake3 is much smoother, and there are less pauses. (When I hit tab, to see the score board, my system would pause for 5-6 seconds while there was some major harddrive swapping. Im guessing it was loading player models or their logos or something along those lines). Now it doesnt do it.

I can play Half-Life TFC for hours, and it will only hit my harddrive every 10 minutes or so.. Pretty much all of the game can fit into the RAM.

 

[Zeeliv]

While that may be true for 98. You will definetely notice the extra speed you'll get by adding that 128MB in Win2K.

 

[GoldenBear]

Hmm, so should I go for 192 or 256?

 

[dethman]

considering how cheap RAM is nowadays, might as well spring for the extra 64 megs.

 

[LXi]

I would recommend 256MB if you're going to use Win2K, its definitely preferred over 128MB.

 

[NickC]

hey my system with 256 is a lot beter than it was with 128

 

[Mule]

Get as much ram as your pockets can give, its damn cheap now and who knows about the future? I think 512k Ram is enough.

 

[dennilfloss]

Even in w98, I find that many applications just loved the increase from 128MB to 256MB RAM and supposedly W2K will thank you in droves.

 

[HellRaven]

I found a decent performance increase by going to 256mb and this was in win98. With 256mb of ram my harddrive actually goes into sleep mode after a few hours of playing CounterStrike on a server that only runs one map (usually dust) which means it is not even having to access the harddrive for anything.

 

[AMB]

I'd go to 265, looking at memory prices at the moment

 

[Tsaico]

I agree with the others, I had gone from 128 PC100 to 256 pc150 RAM and noticed a huge differnce. True, I had gone up in the speed of the ram itself, but I cannot tell you how much faster win2k loads and runs.

 

[demenion]

i noticed a huge difference in UT when upgrading to 256.

 

[erub]

I sprung for the extra memory with the recent price drops - even though in win2k I always had about 40 mb free, it is still an appreciable amount faster - plus you can get one of those RAM disk programs for win2k to load stuff (like browser cache) into RAM.

 

[blurredvision]

I would definitely spring for the extra 128MB going by current prices. I doubt it can really get much cheaper than it is right now until something else comes out that everybody wants right away (and DDR isn't at that point yet, except from us computer experts ). You should notice an increase in performance, like pretty much everyone had told you thus far.

 

[new2pc]

Hi dethman

I hear the RAM is very cheap.. dirt cheap.., but when I was trying to configure SDRAM for Dell's Pentium III, it isn't cheap. How come they don't reflect the price drop? :Q:|

 

[Rigoletto]

You are best off looking at it this way. You may be comfortable with 128Mb right now. But it will be feeling the strains when the minimum specs rise to 128Mb, and in a year's time this will be common. Just about all those programs will run better past the minimum specifications. And by then SDRAM may be more like EDO DRAM prices. If you are are willing to stick with your CPU and board for another year or two, you will quite likely want more RAM anyway- so why not get it now and you work it for its full value over the period. Otherwise, SDRAM might be too expensive in a year and you'll think "might as well get a DDR board and chip".

 

[Fuse]

what would be better:
1 chip of 256Mb
or 2*128MB??

 

[Rigoletto]

I would prefer 2x128mb because of the flexibility. By the time more than 256Mb or all your slots are filled like this, I'm afraid to say even I would have to admit a new chip and mobo with DDR would be more appropriate. Unless you are running a server.

 

[tbumpus]

new2pc -

Go to Crucial and configure for your Dell there. We bought a 128Mb DIMM for a Dimension T500 at work for $65 the other day. Through Dell, it's a lot more expensive.

 

[OS]

<< How come they don't reflect the price drop? >>



Big computer makers buy their memory on fairly long term contracts, like 6 months or something, so their prices are locked down. What us little guys buy ram at reflects market conditions after the big guys have taken their share.

 

[H8tank]

Interesting read, considering every review of 128 vs. 256 in win98 shows virtually no difference in apps and games.

 

[Cowboy]

I went from 128mb to 256mb in WinME and I noticed a much smoother operation an most all programs and games, felt like the headroom was increased, if that makes any sense.

 

[billandopus]

Hey AMB, when you find a 9meg or a 137meg DIMM let me know buddy!