will increasing memory improve performance?

aboyce · 04-02-07, 12:19 PM

My system has a 3.2 pentium, 1gb memory, nvidia 6800 gt video card and a audiogy 2 sound blaster card. I notice some significant performance drops when the graphic settings are maxed out (the mouse moves like it is in molassas). will increasing the memory to 2 gigs make much of a difference?

ReallyDedPoet · 04-02-07, 12:23 PM

Memory upgrade will help for sure, I have 2 Gig, makes a difference. Not sure about the card, somebody will answer that. CPU looks fine.

WFGood · 04-02-07, 12:27 PM

It should make an appreciable difference. Just going from 1.5 to 2 gig helped me noticeably.

mookiemookie · 04-02-07, 12:28 PM

Adding more RAM is a cheap and easy upgrade that should definately help, but you might also want to think about upgrading your card as well.

Zantham · 04-02-07, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Adding more RAM is a cheap and easy upgrade that should definately help, but you might also want to think about upgrading your card as well.

I second this, going to 2GB RAM never hurts. That being said....I have 3GB RAM in this machine (which anything over 2GB is mostly useless in XP), and a GeForce 6800 Ultra video card. My CPU is a P4-3.6GHz. And on higher graphic settings my mouse definitely lags.
So in your case...the RAM upgrade won't hurt, but probably wont completely solve the laggy mouse either.

GoldenEagle8 · 04-02-07, 05:54 PM

I've been looking for the answer to the same question for a while, I have a AMD 1.8Ghz prossessor, 1Gig of RAM, and an ATI 200m Graphics card, will a second gig at least add 10FPS?

-Pv- · 04-02-07, 05:57 PM

Two gigs is the best RAM solution for playing games on XP. It doesn't help game speed as far as the 3D animation though. CPU, mainboard design, and graphics card drive performance more than anything else. What it will mostly do is speed up load times where disk cache might be used. You cannot get rid of the use of disk cache in XP (or any Win OS) but you can reduce it a lot. Also, if your graphics card is AGP, those cards use system ram for aperature. The more system RAM you have, the more you have left for the software when the graphics card grabs it. If your RAM speed is less than 400 you'll suffer a bit there.
-Pv-

gapman · 04-02-07, 12:29 PM

I can tell you that an extra GIG of RAM(adding up to 2 GIGS) will make a huge difference. I added a GIG of PC3200-DDR(400) two days ago and SH4 loads much faster, the graphics are way smoother, screens switch instantly, the navigation map cursor moves instantly from point to point, etc. Best $90 I have spent in a long time for an upgrade. It also helped many of my other games.

Seminole · 04-02-07, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aboyce

My system has a 3.2 pentium, 1gb memory, nvidia 6800 gt video card and a audiogy 2 sound blaster card. I notice some significant performance drops when the graphic settings are maxed out (the mouse moves like it is in molassas). will increasing the memory to 2 gigs make much of a difference?

I have an identical setup to yours except with 2 gb of memory and SH4 plays well enough....and for my tastes looks pretty darn sharp on it....BUT...I have graphics set on medium. I turned eveything up and the sim slowed way down. On medium I get 60 fps and that rate is pretty stable even in high traffic.

I'm not a computer expert and don't even pretend to be one on the net...

...but I expect an extra gb of memory will speed up your loading times and may improve your gameplay a bit. However, from seeing my system run it with 2 gb, I suspect you shouldn't expect big miracles if you opt to add another gb. Probably the money would be better spent towards a dual core machine running 2 cards sli....unless you are stuck with using that system long term....then my advice would have to be...add the extra gb.

That is what I am planning for. I am waiting for the prices for dual cores to come down which ,I suspect they will, in the not too distant future. At least I hope so. I just know ,from a long history of jumping in and buying the "latest" computer technology...that as soon as I buy a dual core...they will come out with a quad core running 4 graphics cards...

...and then I'll need a backyard nuclear power plant to provide the necessary wattage and a 1,000 gallon tank of liguid nitrogen to cool it.

But hey...thats computer life.

04-02-07, 12:19 PM	#1
aboyce Watch Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 18 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	will increasing memory improve performance? My system has a 3.2 pentium, 1gb memory, nvidia 6800 gt video card and a audiogy 2 sound blaster card. I notice some significant performance drops when the graphic settings are maxed out (the mouse moves like it is in molassas). will increasing the memory to 2 gigs make much of a difference?

04-02-07, 12:23 PM	#2
ReallyDedPoet Canadian Wolf Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canada. The one and only, East Coast Posts: 10,884 Downloads: 946 Uploads: 5	Memory upgrade will help for sure, I have 2 Gig, makes a difference. Not sure about the card, somebody will answer that. CPU looks fine. __________________ Back in the Day

04-02-07, 12:27 PM	#3
WFGood Electrician's Mate Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: high above the big blue Posts: 137 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It should make an appreciable difference. Just going from 1.5 to 2 gig helped me noticeably. __________________

04-02-07, 12:28 PM	#4
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	Adding more RAM is a cheap and easy upgrade that should definately help, but you might also want to think about upgrading your card as well. __________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

04-02-07, 05:54 PM	#6
GoldenEagle8 Engineer Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: I think I'm lost? Posts: 206 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	I've been looking for the answer to the same question for a while, I have a AMD 1.8Ghz prossessor, 1Gig of RAM, and an ATI 200m Graphics card, will a second gig at least add 10FPS? __________________ "YES! Everything I do is a surprise! EVEN TO ME!" "Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made." ~Otto von Bismarck "I thought so little, they rewarded me by making me the ruler of the Queen's Navy." ~Sir Joseph Porter (HMS Pinafore)

04-02-07, 05:57 PM	#7
-Pv- The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 1,434 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Two gigs is the best RAM solution for playing games on XP. It doesn't help game speed as far as the 3D animation though. CPU, mainboard design, and graphics card drive performance more than anything else. What it will mostly do is speed up load times where disk cache might be used. You cannot get rid of the use of disk cache in XP (or any Win OS) but you can reduce it a lot. Also, if your graphics card is AGP, those cards use system ram for aperature. The more system RAM you have, the more you have left for the software when the graphics card grabs it. If your RAM speed is less than 400 you'll suffer a bit there. -Pv-

04-02-07, 12:29 PM	#8
gapman Watch Join Date: May 2005 Location: Waukesha, Wisconsin Posts: 22 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Absolutely !!!!! I can tell you that an extra GIG of RAM(adding up to 2 GIGS) will make a huge difference. I added a GIG of PC3200-DDR(400) two days ago and SH4 loads much faster, the graphics are way smoother, screens switch instantly, the navigation map cursor moves instantly from point to point, etc. Best $90 I have spent in a long time for an upgrade. It also helped many of my other games.