Memory with a 64 bit cpu? Any need for more than 1gb?

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:48 pm

The new 64 bit mobo can handle up to 4 gb of memory and I've got 1 ghz now which I'd think should be plenty. WHY would anyone then NEED 4 gb, for what?

I remember when 32 mb seemed like alot but I'm sure many here can "beat" that

BillyGoat · Post by **BillyGoat** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 9:02 pm

what are you doing, I would imagine at this point anything over 1,5 gigs and your gains are not going to be as expodential

Jim Z · Post by **Jim Z** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:00 am

There have been a number of Pentium 4/Xeon and Athlon/MP boards which could accept 4 GB of RAM, 64-bitness not needed. However, only 3.5 to 3.8 GB of that would have been usable since PCI card ROMs have to be mapped in the address space, and the "missing" RAM was due to that.

64-bit processors can "theoretically" handle more than 4 GB of RAM, but that's not always the case. Single-channel Athlon 64s can usually only handle up to 3 GB, and that at reduced speed (PC2100.) The memory controller simply can't handle that much load on the bus without buffering. Remember that physical memory support is not the same as total address space.

Opterons can handle 4-8 GB thanks to their 128-bit controllers and registered DIMMs. Opteron boards with multiple CPUs can really pile on the RAM since each CPU has its own memory controller.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 7:09 am

I'm just curious as to why one might really NEED that much, to do what?

Me, just a guy building a new PC that plays an occasional game or two so I'd think that 1ghz should be OK?

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 8:17 am

For all practical concerns, anything over 1gb is a waste unless you're a SERIOUS photoshop user.

ZYFER · Post by **ZYFER** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:52 pm

I was wondering if anyone noticed that he used ghz to represent the memory size, instead of gb?

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:43 am

...........typo (edited)

I was browsing at some other forum and read where some guy was mentioning that he just liked having 4 gigs of memory in his PC. Don't think he had a good reason besides bragging rights but made me wonder why anyone might need that.

BillyGoat · Post by **BillyGoat** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:50 am

waste of money, i know a guy that has 4 gigs of ram in his p4 gaming rig and wonders why my mobile athlon loads maps faster then him

ZYFER · Post by **ZYFER** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:08 am

I see 2 gigs as being enough, heck that is my total memory size including virtual memory

if I could get that much I would be happy