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How Much RAM? 4GB vs. 8GB vs. 16GB Performance Tested


Batu69

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With the recent arrival of Skylake, many are looking into Intel's latest platform which requires not just a Core i7-6700K or Core i5-6600K processor but also a new Z170 motherboard and DDR4 memory. Although memory prices are competitive at the moment (read: cheap), you can still expect to pay between 20 to 40% more for DDR4 memory versus DDR3. Naturally, users are questioning if the upgrade to Skylake is worth the premium.

But regardless if you opt for Intel's latest platform and DDR4, or go for last season's Haswell range with more affordable DDR3 memory, you'll likely ask yourself: "Should I get 8GB or 16GB of RAM?"

With 8GB DDR3-2400 kits starting at just $55 -- less than many of you would spend on a lump of aluminum for your CPU -- you probably won't think twice about spending $100 to secure a 16GB kit. The same spec DDR4 memory costs ~$65 for 8GB and $125 if you want 16GB.

If you're building a Core i7 system with a high-end GPU and a speedy SSD, a 16GB memory kit is going to be one of the smaller purchases. However, if you're making an effort to get the most bang for your buck by opting for parts such as a Core i5 processor and perhaps the GeForce GTX 960, then you'll really want to know if that extra 8GB of memory is actually going to benefit you.

Keep in mind there is little point in "future-proofing" your system with extra memory now as adding more down the track is always a more economical option, providing you have the empty DIMM slots.

The last time I really bothered to compare memory capacities was in 2007 when DDR2 was all the rage. At the time I looked at 2GB vs 4GB performance in games and I found almost no advantage to using 4GB of memory.

Today's modern games and many productivity applications can consume upwards of 4GB, so there's little argument for not going with 8GB. However, the need for 16GB of memory is a hotly debated subject, so today we are going see if and where this much memory might be useful for desktop users.

Test System Specs

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For those building a new system or simply looking to upgrade their memory capacity to 16GB the answer is simple:

don't bother unless you have the money to burn.

For general usage and gaming, there is no advantage to be had by using 16GB of RAM.

The only application we could find that really benefited from 16GB was 7-Zip,

though we had to use a crazy big dictionary size to create heavy RAM demand.

Overall, we see 8GB as the standard right now which is why we recommend it throughout our PC buying guide,

from the Budget Box to the Enthusiast's PC, while 16GB of RAM is only essential for specific high-demand scenarios.

;)

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I think the requirement for more RAM will increase as more RAM becomes a standard. More softwares and games will start using it.

The famous 640K RAM quote from Bill Gates, though denied by him, is a good example of it.

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PCs last way longer due to more incremental change, so may as well make sure you have the RAM.

I have 32GB RAM. I run lots of VMS. If not, the OS is happy to use 12GB of RAM for caching/speed if nothing else needs it.

I'd go 64 GB, but my machine can't pass 32GB, so no luck there.

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I have 32GB RAM. I run lots of VMS.

Well I'm shocked, how many VMs do you run simultaneously?

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I have 32GB RAM. I run lots of VMS.

Well I'm shocked, how many VMs do you run simultaneously?

I'm guessing. :hehe:

Windows 1.0x

Windows 2.x
Windows 3.0
OS/2
Windows 3.1x
Windows NT 3.x
Windows 95
Windows NT 4.0
Windows 98
Windows 2000
Windows ME
Windows XP
Windows Server 2003
Windows XP x64 and Server 2003 x64 Editions
Windows Server 2003 R2
Windows Fundamentals
Windows Home Server
Windows Vista
Windows Server 2008
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Home Server 2011
Windows Thin PC
Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
Windows 10

Windows Server 2016

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