Computer RAM

[Colossal Spoons]

I'm looking to buy a laptop in the next 2 months. It's mostly gonna be for gaming so screen size, RAM, processor speed, and graphics card are about the only things I care about. Hard drive size can go to heck

I'm noticing that computers with 4GB of DDR3 RAM are selling for more than ones with 6-8GB of DDR2. Is the diff between DDR2 and DDR3 THAT drastic? It's almost as if I should prefer to have 4 of DDR3 rather than 8 of DDR2

 

[black_dust]

DDR3 Ram is twice as fast as DDR2 Ram in reading. So theoreticly 4gig of DDR3 is the same as 8 gig of DDR2 (i think!)

 

[Mixairian]

Not quite but close enough. DDR3 RAM is faster. Just leave it at that. If you can afford it, Quad Core, 4 gig+ DDR2/3, and any high end graphics card. Obviously 17". Warning you'll be spending a minimum of 2 grand.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I'm prepared to go as high as $2500. Although, now I'm thinking about a desktop instead. I built a desktop over at HP with 12 GB of DDR3 RAM . The processor and graphics card pwned the laptop too.

 

[Mixairian]

Desktops are better for gaming, they're cheaper, and more powerful. If you're dropping $2500, you'll have a nice system. You honestly don't need more than 4gigs of RAM. I'd recommend spending the excess money on a good processor and graphics card.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

On the topic of processor speed. The smallest increase in GHz could mean hundred of dollars. I wonder if one would even notice the diff between 2.66 and 2.93 cuz it's kinda like $400 more dollars lol

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Desktops are better for gaming, they're cheaper, and more powerful. If you're dropping $2500, you'll have a nice system. You honestly don't need more than 4gigs of RAM. I'd recommend spending the excess money on a good processor and graphics card.

Yeah, 4GB of DDR3 seems to be fantastic. I just don't want 2-3 years to go by and games to start requiring a minimum of 25GB or something else to render my PC obsolete

 

[Carcharodon]

I got my Alienware laptop as a gift from a friend. 17", has two 256MB gfx cards with SLI enabled, it has a decent processor (don't remember the exact spec.), but just 1 gig of DDR2 memory. I want a memory upgrade lol.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Yeah, RAM should def be next on your Christmas list lol. I hear upgrading a laptop is a bit of a pain in the arse though, def not as easy as cracking open a desktop tower.

 

[Cobblepot]

On the topic of processor speed. The smallest increase in GHz could mean hundred of dollars. I wonder if one would even notice the diff between 2.66 and 2.93 cuz it's kinda like $400 more dollars lol

For gaming the videocard is the most important, look for some benchmarks and read into the subject. You'll easily find the best card that you'll need.

The CPU while still important will only give you a few fps more, you wouldn't notice. So spend the $400 in a graphics card and an extra HD.

Setting up a raid (2 or more harddisc's are required for that) will increase your loading times.

Most of the time an individual soundcard will improve your fps aswell, since the CPU is less required to run the onboard sound.

If it is going to be a true gaming rig, don't go for a laptop.

 

[Carcharodon]

Yeah, RAM should def be next on your Christmas list lol. I hear upgrading a laptop is a bit of a pain in the arse though, def not as easy as cracking open a desktop tower.

Yeah, most components are integrated into the motherboard, and they really don't sell laptop motherboards. Updating a graphics card is virtually impossible. Isn't there memory that you can get that plugs into the USB port, though? Not very practical normally, but for a laptop....

 

[Colossal Spoons]

For gaming the videocard is the most important, look for some benchmarks and read into the subject. You'll easily find the best card that you'll need.

The CPU while still important will only give you a few fps more, you wouldn't notice. So spend the $400 in a graphics card and an extra HD.

Setting up a raid (2 or more harddisc's are required for that) will increase your loading times.

Most of the time an individual soundcard will improve your fps aswell, since the CPU is less required to run the onboard sound.

If it is going to be a true gaming rig, don't go for a laptop.

Thanks. Yeah, no laptop for me. Champions Online will involve a lot of high speed running and flying, probably gonna have to turn down the resolution so it's not all choppy anyway.

 

[Cobblepot]

CPU AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (relatively easy to overclock) even better is AMD Phenom II X4 955
http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/reviews/processors/AMD_Phenom_II_X4_810_X3_720_1.html

Gigabyte GA-MA790XT-UD4P Motherboard
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mainboards/display/gigabyte-ma790xt-ud4p.html
4 GB OCZ OCZ3G13334GK Memory
Samsung Spinpoint F1 DT HD103UJ, 1TB
2x Sapphire HD 4890 1GB GDDR5 PCI-E
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3539&p=23
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphics/2009/04/03/radeon-hd-4890-vs-geforce-gtx-275/18
Samsung Syncmaster 2443BW
Corsair TX750W powersupply

Guess, the onboard sound solution is good enough to do without a soundcard.

 

[Darthphere]

My desktop has 256MB of RAM.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Is it 1996 where you live?

 

[Darthphere]

Is it 1996 where you live?

Pentium 4 *****es!

 

[Mixairian]

Yeah, 4GB of DDR3 seems to be fantastic. I just don't want 2-3 years to go by and games to start requiring a minimum of 25GB or something else to render my PC obsolete

My guess is in 3 years, at most you'll need is 6. Even so, RAM has always been cheap.