How much memory do you need?
Our rule of thumb that i religiously follow for memory requirements: Windows XP can run quite good with 512MB, but i would recommend you get up to is 1GB. If you’re running memory intensive applications, such as current-generation PC games or photo or video-editing applications or doing some heavy multi tasking, you’ll definitely want 2GB.
Those of you running Windows Vista will want to bump that minimum up a notch. Vista runs fine with 1GB, but it’s noticeably more responsive with 2GB of memory. If you’re running 32-bit Vista, you may even want 4GB. Be aware, though, that if you drop 4GB of DRAM into a 32-bit Vista or XP, your system may see only 3GB of actual memory. This happens because the system grabs about a gigabyte’s worth of memory addresses for use by the system BIOS, I/O, and other functions. The memory is still there, but the addresses are used elsewhere.
Windows XP Professional 64-bit and Windows Vista 64-bit will use up every bit of the memory a desktop system can support. Most desktop PCs top out at 8GB of memory because of the limitations in the number of memory slots and the number of memory banks the system can support electrically. Also, 64-bit systems use more memory in general. For a 64-bit OS, 4GB is the minimum you’ll want to run.
Recently, memory makers have shipped a number of 4GB DDR2-800 memory kits. If you’re running 32-bit Vista or Windows XP, buying a 4GB kit gives you a little more memory. BIOS addresses still consume a chunk of address space, but you get a little over 3GB of effective memory. Previously, you’d need to run at lower memory speeds if you wanted to load up on more memory, while ensuring stability. Quite a few motherboards can’t run four banks of DRAM at 200 MHz because of a degradation in signal integrity.
source: PC Magazine
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POSTED IN: Hardware, Windows Tips, Windows Vista
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