Is 8GB of RAM Necessary to Run Windows Vista Effectively?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the specifications and value of a computer system that includes Windows Vista Ultimate, with a particular focus on the necessity of having 8GB of RAM for effective performance. Participants explore various components, potential upgrades, and alternative options for building or purchasing a computer.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares the specifications of a computer they are considering purchasing, asking for feedback on its value.
  • Several participants express the need for more specific details about the CPU, RAM, and graphics card to assess the system's value accurately.
  • One participant argues that 8GB of RAM is crucial for running Windows Vista effectively, suggesting that anything less would result in poor performance.
  • Another participant recommends considering custom builds or alternative components, suggesting specific motherboards and CPUs that may offer better performance for a similar price.
  • Participants discuss the potential for building a desktop computer with a budget of $1500-2000, with one expressing a desire for tips on selecting affordable yet effective parts.
  • Multiple participants provide detailed component suggestions, including motherboards, CPUs, RAM, and graphics cards, emphasizing the importance of having adequate RAM and a capable video card for gaming and general use.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of RAM for running Windows Vista effectively, but there is no consensus on the specific components or configurations that would provide the best value. The discussion includes multiple competing views on the best approach to building or purchasing a computer.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the limitations of the current system specifications, particularly the lack of information about the RAM and CPU. There are also discussions about the relevance of using Windows Vista in today's market and the potential for better alternatives.

jbmiller
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Hey everyone, I'm currently looking for a good computer and I think I might of just found it.

Here are the specs, and no, that's not all of it. I would be getting the computer for 600 so if you could please let me know how good it is and if its worth the price I would greatly appreciate it.

Specs;
900watt power supply
1gig graphics
hard3 case fans
3.0ghz processor speed
upgraded soundcard (not the motherboard sound card)
X-FI xtreme gamer is the sound card, i know that
2 DVD drives ( the stuff where you put the disk in)
2 front usb ports
4 backs
250gb internal harddrive.
x58 motherboard
and it has windows vista ultimate installed

Thanks for the help!
 
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sounds decent. can't really tell you if it is good value for money without knowing the specifics on the CPU, RAM and video card but based on what you have provided, sounds okay
 
Routaran said:
sounds decent. can't really tell you if it is good value for money without knowing the specifics on the CPU, RAM and video card but based on what you have provided, sounds okay

I will have to find those out tomorrow and post them. Thanks for the help.
 
You might want to consider the option of ordering a system by component, where you specify which components you want. There may be a online store that happens to be within driving distance from where you live so you can save on shipping costs.

Also instead of a X58 motherboard, you might want to consider a DP67BG or other LGA 1155 type motherboard (X67 chipset) with an Intel 2600K or similar cpu. You only get one PCI X16 bus and ram is double wide instead of tripple wide, but the 2600K cpu is faster than many of the older LGA 1366 cpu's and it's cheaper. If you have the money, there's also the option of going with one of the high end LGA2011 (X79 chipset) type motherboards and cpus.
 
Last edited:
a 250gig hard drive is tiny in today's market and VISTA is a TERRIBLE operating system. You will hate it.

The most important consideration for a computer running ANY version of windows is main RAM and you have said nothing about it. If it has less than 8gig it will be a dog with VISTA running on it.
 
Need more specific details before we can really say. Here are some needed details:
CPU model?
Graphics card model?
How much RAM?
Does it include keyboard/mouse/monitor/speakers?

Also, why does it have Vista? Is it used? You can get a new PC with comparable or better specs for the same or lower price.

This is one random example at $550:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229285

Look through here for others:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&N=100006736 4802&IsNodeId=1&name=Top Sellers
 
I'm probably going to just custom build my own desktop by buying the parts of off Newegg. My budget will be about, say 1500-2000 dollars, but that's pushing it. I'm a freshman and my parents just bought me a tablet to I will probably have to pay for most of it on this one, which I don't really mind.

I would appreciate it if anyone could give me some tips/help on picking out the best parts for the most affordable price, thanks!
 
From newegg.com

Motherboard: ASRock P67
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157230

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

PSU: OCZ ModXStream Pro 500W Modular
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) (PC3 12800)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314

Video: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908

Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 912 (I have this, its insane the space there is inside)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233

CD/DVD Burner: LITE-ON DVD Burner
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289

OS: Windows 7 Pro 64 Bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116992
-------------------------------------------
All together the cart says: $799.92 + tax + shipping

Its really good value.
If you want to save a little more money then you can go AMD route

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black ($119 vs $219 for Intel CPU)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727
Mobo: BIOSTAR TA870U3+ AM3 ($89 vs $99 for Intel mobo)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138303

If you want to spend a bit more and get more gaming performance, get an Intel i7 CPU and a nVIDIA GTX 560 or better.
But as long as you have a 8GB RAM and a 256bit Video Card, there's very very few games that you won't be able to play on full graphics. I have a ATI 4890 (2.5 years old) and still I can play most games on high-max graphics. Buy the top of the line card from 1 generation ago, you will get a great price and great performance.
This is a gaming system, for school work, this system is WAY over kill.
I would avoid SLI/Crossfire because each upgrade will cost you half the price of the system. Its better to simply buy video card worth 100-200 bucks every year or two and sell the one you had to recoup some cash.

Edit:
Hard drives
500GB WD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073
1TB WD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284
Solid State Drive OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3 (Expensive but MUCH faster)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227706
 
Last edited:
Routaran said:
From newegg.com

Motherboard: ASRock P67
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157230

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

PSU: OCZ ModXStream Pro 500W Modular
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) (PC3 12800)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314

Video: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908

Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 912 (I have this, its insane the space there is inside)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233

CD/DVD Burner: LITE-ON DVD Burner
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289

OS: Windows 7 Pro 64 Bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116992
-------------------------------------------
All together the cart says: $799.92 + tax + shipping

Its really good value.
If you want to save a little more money then you can go AMD route

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black ($119 vs $219 for Intel CPU)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727
Mobo: BIOSTAR TA870U3+ AM3 ($89 vs $99 for Intel mobo)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138303

If you want to spend a bit more and get more gaming performance, get an Intel i7 CPU and a nVIDIA GTX 560 or better.
But as long as you have a 8GB RAM and a 256bit Video Card, there's very very few games that you won't be able to play on full graphics. I have a ATI 4890 (2.5 years old) and still I can play most games on high-max graphics. Buy the top of the line card from 1 generation ago, you will get a great price and great performance.
This is a gaming system, for school work, this system is WAY over kill.
I would avoid SLI/Crossfire because each upgrade will cost you half the price of the system. Its better to simply buy video card worth 100-200 bucks every year or two and sell the one you had to recoup some cash.

Edit:
Hard drives
500GB WD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073
1TB WD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284
Solid State Drive OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3 (Expensive but MUCH faster)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227706

Thanks for the help, and I'm not worried about over-kill. I will probably go with the first listing you had on here.
 
  • #10
The i5 2500 is the best cpu for the money right now. You can't go wrong there. I'm not saying it won't work, but, a 500W PSU is marginal for that setup. 650+ would be more in my comfort zone. I prefer SLI video cards, mainly because you can upgrade to a dual SLI setup, but, that's a matter of taste. I also prefer the ASUS Sabretooth MB - better warranty, more reliable, but, that too is a matter of taste. It is also critical to have a 64 bit operating system, or you won't be able to access more than 3 gig of memory. Also, make sure the MB is compatible with your mem sticks. Some boards do not like mem sticks larger than 2 gigs. Forget Vista, it totally sux, so I concur with win64 pro OS. The pro version is best because it will play nice with all your 32 bit software. The price routaren gave is in the right ballpark. The whole thing should run under a grand.
 
  • #11
phinds said:
a 250gig hard drive is tiny in today's market and VISTA is a TERRIBLE operating system. You will hate it.

The most important consideration for a computer running ANY version of windows is main RAM and you have said nothing about it. If it has less than 8gig it will be a dog with VISTA running on it.

Vista is not terrible IMO, I have 4 gb of ram on a 4 year old box I built and it runs just fine, not even a reformat since install. The couple spreadsheets I run take up more ram then the whole of Vista, heck iTunes usually takes up more.
 
  • #12
phinds said:
...VISTA is a TERRIBLE operating system. You will hate it.

The most important consideration for a computer running ANY version of windows is main RAM and you have said nothing about it. If it has less than 8gig it will be a dog with VISTA running on it.
And you're basing this information on what, exactly?

I've been running Vista Business 32-bit for almost 5 years now on a laptop with 2 GB of RAM with absolutely no issues. In fact, I quite like Vista.

Needing 8 GB of RAM to run Vista at an acceptable level? That's laughable.
 

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