[ZenerDiode]

I have a chance to bump my RAM from 8GB to 16GB. Cost isn't really an issue...I'm just lazy and don't want to "disassemble" my cabinet and HTPC to get to the RAM (really tight case...RAM under the optical drive). Any reason to bother in my HTPC that primarily just records with some Blu-Ray playback?

 

[almostinsane]

Drop it down to 4GB's and pocket some change.

 

[hlkc]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ZenerDiode  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb/0_100#post_22193385


I have a chance to bump my RAM from 8GB to 16GB. Cost isn't really an issue...I'm just lazy and don't want to "disassemble" my cabinet and HTPC to get to the RAM (really tight case...RAM under the optical drive). Any reason to bother in my HTPC that primarily just records with some Blu-Ray playback?

If just BD playback and/or watch LiveTV, 8GB is fine. 

 

[bimmerfreak0]

I hit past 4gb quite often...so going from 8 DOWN to 4gb doesn't really make much sense. Especially considering he already OWNS the 8gb...why would he downgrade?

 

[Dark_Slayer]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bimmerfreak0  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb/0_50#post_22193480


I hit past 4gb quite often...so going from 8 DOWN to 4gb doesn't really make much sense. Especially considering he already OWNS the 8gb...why would he downgrade?

Because 8gb is unnecessary and vastly underutilized in a:

Quote:
Originally Posted by ZenerDiode  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb/0_50#post_22193385


HTPC that primarily just records with some Blu-Ray playback?

If you're following what was included in the post and you "hit past 4gb" might I ask what software you are using for recording with some Blu-Ray playback?

 

[assassin]

You may need 8GB if you have (or are planning to have) WMC extenders.


16GB is completely unnecessary.

 

[ZenerDiode]



Quote:
Originally Posted by almostinsane  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb#post_22193448


Drop it down to 4GB's and pocket some change.

Yeah, so I'm too lazy to open my case to drop in another 8gb, yet I won't be too lazy to open it and take out 4gb? It's gonna take a lot more than $10 off ebay to motivate me to do that...I'm crazy lazy. Too clarify, cost isn't an issue cause the extra 8GB is a freebie from a coworker.


Anyways, looks like the consensus is not to bother. And yes, I run 3 extenders off it (forgot about that...thanks assassin).

 

[ogormask]

I run 8gb now and in my new build am moving to 32gb. cost is petty compared to the $500 I spent on the 8gb years ago. so whatever 200 bucks for 32gb hell yeah.


but thats my gaming rig not my htpc... what applications are you using? just hit ctr alt del when you are "maxing out" your utilization ie a lot of programs running to see what ballpark you are in. I frequently nearly max out my gaming rig. I do heavy multi tasking. but my htpc uses lttle to none since I run media browser only basically.

 

[C17chief]

Sounds like he already has 8 so most of this thread is pretty moot....however starting from scratch...while 4gb will get most people by, 8gb is usually literally only a few dollars more then 4 these days, so that being the case, I think its def worth that chump change for the overhead even if it does go largely underutilized.

 

[Mfusick]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bimmerfreak0  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb#post_22193480


I hit past 4gb quite often...so going from 8 DOWN to 4gb doesn't really make much sense. Especially considering he already OWNS the 8gb...why would he downgrade?

This!!!!


overkill is good.


4GB is not enough when you factor in the new OS that might come out... the life of the PC, and the very low cost of 8GB. It just makes sense to use 8GB.

 

[assassin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Mfusick  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb#post_22197007


This!!!!

overkill is good.

4GB is not enough when you factor in the new OS that might come out... the life of the PC, and the very low cost of 8GB. It just makes sense to use 8GB.

I am not saying I disagree with this necessarily however be careful as this line of thinking is a slippery slope.


I need a G620, however I want a i3 2100 and its only $50 more.


I need a dvd drive however a bluray drive is on sale for only $30 more.


I could use a H67 however a Z68 is only $30 more.


I need a 400 watt PSU however the modular is only $30 more.


Etc, etc, etc.


The "low cost" of the upgrades quickly add up.

 

[Mfusick]



Quote:
Originally Posted by assassin  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb#post_22197021


I am not saying I disagree with this necessarily however be careful as this line of thinking is a slippery slope.

I need a G620, however I want a i3 2100 and its only $50 more.

I need a dvd drive however a bluray drive is on sale for only $30 more.

I could use a H67 however a Z68 is only $30 more.

I need a 400 watt PSU however the modular is only $30 more.

Etc, etc, etc.

The "low cost" of the upgrades quickly add up.

Your 100% right...


yet.. I don't own a PC with only 4GB of Ram.


Even my G530 server, and my G630 HTPC have 8GB in them. As does a couple G620 office PC's.


I only have 4GB in my oldest PC (E8500 core2 duo) and this is because it's DDR2 and old.


My main PC has 16GB. Probably overkill yes.


But... you can get 8GB for such a low cost that I think it makes sense.


I have a $300 HTPC with both a 120GB Sata3 SSD and 8GB DDR2 1600mhz. You can certainly have low cost and still have 8GB of DDR3. It's pennies compared to a total system cost.


I can save the difference of 8GB cost on just about any other PC component just catching them on sale.


There is better places to save a buck IMO. $10 more is worth it for double the ram if nothing more than piece of mind.


That said- of coarse 4GB would work just fine.

 

[ilovejedd]



Quote:
Originally Posted by assassin  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb#post_22197021


I am not saying I disagree with this necessarily however be careful as this line of thinking is a slippery slope.

I need a G620, however I want a i3 2100 and its only $50 more.

I need a dvd drive however a bluray drive is on sale for only $30 more.

I could use a H67 however a Z68 is only $30 more.

I need a 400 watt PSU however the modular is only $30 more.

Etc, etc, etc.

The "low cost" of the upgrades quickly add up.

Those are already pretty big jumps. Going from 4GB to 8GB is usually just $10-15 extra ($25-30 vs $40). This is like the 2GB vs 4GB debate of old. Sure, 2GB is enough but for the minimal price difference, it's better to go with more.

 

[assassin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ilovejedd  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb#post_22198915


Those are already pretty big jumps. Going from 4GB to 8GB is usually just $10-15 extra ($25-30 vs $40). This is like the 2GB vs 4GB debate of old. Sure, 2GB is enough but for the minimal price difference, it's better to go with more.

Its the same principle. That was the point.


4GB is just fine. However, I agree that for $10 more doubling anything (RAM, CPU power, SSD size, etc) on your HTPC is worth the cost. However, when you say that's its 50% more then it doesn't sound worth it.


Its all perspective. But the principle is the same.

 

[jeffkro]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Mfusick  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb#post_22197051


Your 100% right...

yet.. I don't own a PC with only 4GB of Ram.

Even my G530 server, and my G630 HTPC have 8GB in them. As does a couple G620 office PC's.

I only have 4GB in my oldest PC (E8500 core2 duo) and this is because it's DDR2 and old.

My main PC has 16GB. Probably overkill yes.

But... you can get 8GB for such a low cost that I think it makes sense.

I have a $300 HTPC with both a 120GB Sata3 SSD and 8GB DDR2 1600mhz. You can certainly have low cost and still have 8GB of DDR3. It's pennies compared to a total system cost.

I can save the difference of 8GB cost on just about any other PC component just catching them on sale.

There is better places to save a buck IMO. $10 more is worth it for double the ram if nothing more than piece of mind.

That said- of coarse 4GB would work just fine.

Huh, my zacate system chugs along just fine on 2gigs

 

[ilovejedd]



Quote:
Originally Posted by assassin  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb#post_22198919


Its the same principle. That was the point.

4GB is just fine. However, I agree that for $10 more doubling anything (RAM, CPU power, SSD size, etc) on your HTPC is worth the cost. However, when you say that's its 50% more then it doesn't sound worth it.

Its all perspective. But the principle is the same.

I prefer to deal with absolutes rather than percentages. There's a big difference between 50% of $10 and 50% of $1000. Besides, I generally tend to look at things from an overall budget.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffkro  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb#post_22201823


Huh, my zacate system chugs along just fine on 2gigs

Nobody is saying 2GB isn't enough. Given how inexpensive RAM is nowadays, though, 8GB is like the new 4GB. Besides, it's not really the lack of RAM that's an issue with Zacate. It's the really anemic CPU. There's practically no headroom with either Atom or Zacate.

 

[jeffkro]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ilovejedd  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb#post_22202445


I prefer to deal with absolutes rather than percentages. There's a big difference between 50% of $10 and 50% of $1000. Besides, I generally tend to look at things from an overall budget.

Nobody is saying 2GB isn't enough. Given how inexpensive RAM is nowadays, though, 8GB is like the new 4GB. Besides, it's not really the lack of RAM that's an issue with Zacate. It's the really anemic CPU. There's practically no headroom with either Atom or Zacate.

Yes, but its working for my use, its a NAS/secondary HTPC.

 

[Dark_Slayer]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ilovejedd  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb/0_50#post_22198915


Those are already pretty big jumps. Going from 4GB to 8GB is usually just $10-15 extra ($25-30 vs $40). This is like the 2GB vs 4GB debate of old. Sure, 2GB is enough but for the minimal price difference, it's better to go with more.

I don't see many examples of it only being $10-15 extra, and I just purchased 8GB recently. Since that was over a month ago, I went back to newegg and looked around. Corsair vengeance has been popular recently, so here is 1x4GB DDR3 1600 for $25 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145346

Here is 2x4GB DDR3 1600 for $49 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233144


The cheapest 8 GB that I see of DDR3 1600 is $41, and the cheapest I see of 4GB DDR3 1600 is $21.50


If the logic is getting 8GB DDR3 1066 for $35 vs 4GB DDR3 1600 for $22, then I would go with 1600 for Ivy Bridge down the line. Since it happened to come with combo savings, I got 2x4GB DDR3 1600 and used each stick in different builds. If I need to add more later, then ram should be cheaper and I could consolidate the 2 sticks back to one build. If I wanted to use 1600 instead of 1066 later, then it would cost more out of pocket and I would get no benefit from the miniscule $1-$4 savings originally

 

[Mfusick]

It's about 15$ difference in price.

 

[Dark_Slayer]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Mfusick  /t/1418871/ram-8gb-or-16gb/0_50#post_22203514


It's about 15$ difference in price.

Can you read? It's double the price