Go Back   Hardware Canucks > SOFTWARE > O/S's, Drivers & General Software
Reload this Page How Much RAM Does Windows 7 _Really_ Require To Run Optimally?
Mark Forums Read
Media Gallery Register Members List LAN Calendar Search Today's Posts

       
Reply
Page 1 of 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 >
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old October 19, 2009, 09:04 PM
Rookie
  
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 8
Default How Much RAM Does Windows 7 _Really_ Require To Run Optimally?
It's been my experience over the years that Windows always requires more RAM than the product specs claim it does in order to run optimally. If they say 512 MB, you really need 1GB; if they say 2 GB, you typically need 4 GB. and so on ...

I'm not bashing or complaining -- I'm looking to invest in a new rig very soon, and I'd like to know how much RAM I'll really need to make Windows 7 run at its best.

Thank you,

LL
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old October 19, 2009, 09:09 PM
werty316's Avatar
MVP
F@H
  
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 426
Default
I would go with 4GB.
__________________
If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris you may be only seconds away from death.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old October 19, 2009, 10:40 PM
sa seba's Avatar
MVP
  
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 264

My System Specs

Default
I have been running 7 64Bit with 4 GB of ram for a while now. Everything is smooth and fast.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old October 19, 2009, 11:01 PM
Allstar
  
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 517

My System Specs

Default
To sit at desktop, it takes me 1.16GB, so I imagine that theoretically you only need 2GB to do office tasks. 4GB will be the useful minimum for gaming but everyone with an X58 based system probably has 6GB or more.
__________________
Intel Core i7 920 4.1GHz w/ Thermalright U-120E
24GB G.Skill 1.25v DDR3-1600 9-9-9-24
eVGA 758 - A1
80GB Intel X25-M G2
1TB WD Black
1.5TB Seagate 7200.11 (still works!)
10.9TB RAID6 Samsung F4EG
XFX 5850 @ 1000/1250 w/ Scythe Setsugen
2X Dell U2412M Seasonic M12 850W
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old October 20, 2009, 04:06 AM
Varroa's Avatar
Allstar
  
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: National Capital Region, Canada
Posts: 695

My System Specs

Default
When I was running the beta I noticed that my my desktop used about 1.5Gigs but the OS would cache almost the entire rest of my 8 Gigs of ram. So in essences you need at the very least 2 Gigs and I would say 4+ for optimal performance.
__________________
GAMER: Win7 Pro x64, I7 3770 (stock) (CM 212+), Asus P8Z77-V Pro, XFX 6950 2GB, Corsair Vengeance LP 4 x 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz, Crucial M4 120 GB + 256GB, Intel X25-M 160GB, 1TB WD Blk, DVD, BRD, HX750W, Auz X-Fi Prelude, Intel Pro CT Gbit NIC & CM Cosmos

Game Server: Win7 Pro x64, AMD Phenom II X4 960T Zosma, Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3, 2x2GB Gskill DDRII 1000, 640GB WD Blk, 1 ODD, Asus 9600 GSO, Intel Pro PT Gbit, Corsair 400W PS & Antec 300.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old October 20, 2009, 04:52 AM
gingerbee's Avatar
Hall Of Fame
F@H
  
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Orillia, Ontario
Posts: 6,815

My System Specs

Default
4gigs cause it's cheap and you won't regret it ( i have run it on 1 gig and it never went over 650mb ) but 4 is much better then 1
__________________
Fav quote "One should strive to achieve; not sit in bitter regret." Ronin Harris
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old October 20, 2009, 05:32 AM
Caldezar's Avatar
Hall Of Fame
F@H
  
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 1,462

My System Specs

Default
Quote:
Originally Posted by ayah View Post
To sit at desktop, it takes me 1.16GB, so I imagine that theoretically you only need 2GB to do office tasks. 4GB will be the useful minimum for gaming but everyone with an X58 based system probably has 6GB or more.
+1

I have 3 machine's running Win 7 RTM atm. 2 have 4Gb of ram, and 1 is running 2Gb. The 2Gb runs fine for almost everything, even some light gaming for the wife, but I wouldn;t push it too hard as it takes about 1Gb just to run Aero. 4Gb is plenty though, anything more is just icing unless you're in for some crazy multitasking.
__________________
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old October 20, 2009, 05:37 AM
bissa's Avatar
Hall Of Fame
F@H
  
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Kelowna BC
Posts: 1,106

My System Specs

Default
can the 32 bit version of windows 7 handle 8GB of ram? because if it can than while that may be overkill it would men that you never have to wait on the ram and your computer can cache the larger programs for better reaction times.
__________________
Strong like hummingbird, swift like oak.
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old October 20, 2009, 05:51 AM
AkG's Avatar
AkG AkG is offline
Hardware Canucks Reviewer
  
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,028
Default
nope, 32 bit still maxes out at less than 4gb.
64bit is the way i have gone. Even been running it on an old laptop w/4gb of ram (most the laptop can handle) and it has been smooth sailing.
__________________
"If you ever start taking things too seriously, just remember that we are talking monkeys on an organic spaceship flying through the universe." -JR

“if your opponent has a conscience, then follow Gandhi. But if you enemy has no conscience, like Hitler, then follow Bonhoeffer.” - Dr. MLK jr
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old October 20, 2009, 05:53 AM
MVP
F@H
  
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: St. Catharines
Posts: 452

My System Specs

Default
I have 6gb and it works great, can have tf2 and cod4 opened with word and internet open at once with no problem:)
Reply With Quote
Reply
Page 1 of 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 >


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »
Thread Tools
Display Modes
Linear Mode Linear Mode

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Run Linux Inside Windows geokilla O/S's, Drivers & General Software 5 May 15, 2009 09:04 PM
[WTB] Sub $60 PC than can run Windows XP netforce Buy/Sell & Trade 2 March 26, 2009 10:38 PM
No Current Performance Ram to Run on Future Intel X58 and Core i7 cwestwell Press Releases & Tech News 10 October 7, 2008 07:46 PM
Spore and Mass Effect to Require Occasional Re-validation Hardware Canucks Gaming 4 May 27, 2008 10:49 PM
How do you run the RAM with a divider to get the mem BW up? francois methot Overclocking, Tweaking and Benchmarking 8 March 19, 2007 11:30 AM