Ram

[Smellycowsquid]

I am thinking of getting more RAM, but have two questions before I do.

1) How big of a map can 512MB run well? A huge one? If not, can 1GB?
2)My proccessor runs at 1.3 Ghz, is getting more RAM going to help my computer stay at an acceptable pace?

Any additional comments welcome.

[Kloreep]

What size RAM do you have now? 256MB?

I don't know much about the actual ratio wanted, but if you have a 1.3Ghz processor and only 256 MB of RAM, RAM is probably going to be the bottleneck.

[phlucas]

Going from 256 MB to 512 MB is always worth it.

An additional 512 MB to get 1 GB total costs about 40$. What type is your processor? If it is an old Socket A or Socket 478 CPU, you can buy a Duron or a Celeron D 330 for about the same price.

Hm. I think I would go to 1 GB and leave the CPU as it is, upgrading CPU with the board to a modern model at a later time with an appropriate budget.

[Smellycowsquid]

Even with an older proccesor though, it would still run large or even huge maps well?

[phlucas]

Originally posted by Smellycowsquid
Even with an older proccesor though, it would still run large or even huge maps well?

You will certainly get slowdowns in between turns (when the turns of the AI are computed) and when rearranging workers in cities. I built another computer because my 2 GHz Athlon was too slow for my taste; your tolerance may vary. But I am absolutely certain that upgrading from 256 MB to 512 MB would make your games much smoother and that you will be able to play on larger maps than whatever you can handle now.

[Smellycowsquid]

Thanks to both of you for your help, I will tell you guys if anything happens.

[CrONoS]

I made some test and I have found that the video card is actually one of the main factor that will help the game to be smoother!

But about the main issue of this thread, who was about RAM, i dont know...

[Willem]

Re: Ram

Originally posted by Smellycowsquid
Any additional comments welcome.

If you're running Windows XP, 512 RAM should be considered the minimum required. The operating system will use up almost half of that on it's own. If you're going for more, then get at least 1 gig in your machine. I'd even go so far as to say that you should go all out and put as much in it as you can. If you have 2 slots, have 2-1 gig cards. I have 4 slots in mine and there's a 1 gig card in each one.

[phlucas]

Re: Ram

Originally posted by Willem
I'd even go so far as to say that you should go all out and put as much in it as you can. If you have 2 slots, have 2-1 gig cards. I have 4 slots in mine and there's a 1 gig card in each one.

That is overkill. I have 2 GB, have turned off the page file and every game and application is content with just the physical RAM.

[Willem]

Originally posted by phlucas


That is overkill. I have 2 GB, have turned off the page file and every game and application is content with just the physical RAM.

If I have the room, why not fill it up? It's not going to hurt my system, and can only make it run better.

I discovered that the system can't even handle all that RAM. My Bios shows 3.67 meg, but only 3.17 ends up in Windows. But I had to put in 4, since it's a dual channel setup and having only 3 cards causes boot errors. I can only have 1,2 or 4.

[phlucas]

Originally posted by Willem
If I have the room, why not fill it up?

Well, because it costs money, which is better spent on other components if you wish to enhance your PC's performance. Therefore I disagree with the advice:

I'd even go so far as to say that you should go all out and put as much in it as you can

After a certain treshold is reached, more RAM does not make the system run noticeably better. Sure, if you have an infite amount of money, fill your slots, but it is not a generally useful strategy.

[Willem]

Originally posted by phlucas
Well, because it costs money, which is better spent on other components if you wish to enhance your PC's performance.

RAM is about the cheapest component you can buy for a computer that actually increases the overall performance of any system. and it's also something you can get one piece at a time, making it easy to afford.

After a certain treshold is reached, more RAM does not make the system run noticeably better.

True, but by maxing out, you're at least eliminating the possibilities of a bottleneck. If I have a problem with a program/game running a bit sluggish, I know damn sure that it's not my RAM. And it's about the easiest thing in a computer to max out.

Sure, if you have an infite amount of money, fill your slots, but it is not a generally useful strategy.

Well by the sounds of it, the OP only has 2 slots available, so maxing out would only bring him up to 2 gigs anyway. So in his case it would definitely be to his advantage to fill them up.

And it doesn't require an infinite amount of money. RAM is cheap. I spent a little more on 4 gigs than I did for my video card, and it's not exactly an expensive top-of-the-line model.