Enough RAM for Gaming - Page 4

iinsom · 12th December 2012, 10:28 AM

Ive got 6gb, but i mainly play bf3. Runs ok, but ive always wondered how it'd go with more

jtir · 12th December 2012, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carcin0Genic

I've always had 8gb and never had problems, in bf3 it uses about 4.5 to 5gb.

I always wondered how a 32-bit process/application like BF3 uses more than 4GB of memory? I don't think it is possible, BF3 will only use 4GB of system RAM (not VRAM)

Realistically you will need a minimum of 6-8GB ram to play BF3 because of the operating system and other background processes and services which also add to the RAM resource consumption/

mooboyj · 12th December 2012, 11:14 AM

My laptop has 6GB RAM and all it used for is BF3. With W7, Chrome and BF3 running it sits on high 4s low 5s. If it is purely for BF3, then 6GB would be the minimum I'd look at.

My brother uses my old desktop for BF3 only, and it has 4GB of RAM and he has no issues. With the price of DDR3 RAM, you'd be a fool not to grab at least 8GB of RAM

ni9ht_5ta1k3r · 12th December 2012, 1:04 PM

yay for having 16gb!

roomandu · 13th December 2012, 1:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ni9ht_5ta1k3r

yay for having 16gb!

hehehe what he said

dualmassager · 14th December 2012, 12:22 AM

For me, BF3 with random crap open:

jakey · 14th December 2012, 2:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtir

I always wondered how a 32-bit process/application like BF3 uses more than 4GB of memory? I don't think it is possible, BF3 will only use 4GB of system RAM (not VRAM)

Hurrah, someone with some sense

imo 99% of games are 32-bit and therefore can only use 4gb RAM at most.

Any extra ram goes towards disk cache, windows system files, web browsers, AV software and any other 'crap' running on the machine.

Hence why 8gb is probably recommended.

NanoDuke · 14th December 2012, 8:59 AM

A Windows 7 64 bit start
B Firefox loading
C Origin starting
D BF3 loading up
E Campaign cutscene started
F Running around in game (it was reading 4.11GB at this point)
G Alt-tab out
H Alt-tab back into game
I Exit to main menu
J Quit to windows

That's my memory profile with 16GB. Unsure if it'll be much different in multiplayer.

Toliandar · 15th December 2012, 1:12 PM

Aren't most games still based on 32-bit structure which limits their RAM address to 4GB?

EDIT
Never mind me someone has already stated this.

As for BF3 it will still run fine on 4GB however alt-tabbing wont be as smooth when compared to > 4GB.

Ripley · 22nd December 2012, 5:37 AM

Skyrim with a crap load of mods and texture packs and a dislike for the constant hitches that happen from stuff loading as you move through the game world even with SSD's = get 32 MB and run Skyrim from a 24GB ram drive.

me2 · 1st January 2013, 10:15 PM

Quote:

That's my memory profile with 16GB. Unsure if it'll be much different in multiplayer.

you have 10gb free ram doing absolutely nothing ... running bf3 in multiplayer will make little difference to how much you use (for a number of reasons)... however your OS isn't limited because of its 64bit memory management, so you will be able to run more programs than just bf3 without unduly affecting the game ;-)

Quote:

As for BF3 it will still run fine on 4GB however alt-tabbing wont be as smooth when compared to > 4GB.

if you run a 32bit process (driver or software) on a 64bit operating system, then the 64bit memory manager will allocate both a 32bit and a 64bit address for that process (i.e. it will use more physical memory)...

that means... all things being equal, your game will run smoother on a 32bit operating system with only 4GB ram , than on a 64bit operating system with only 4GB of ram (though most people wouldn't notice the difference)... that is part of the reason why the recommended specs for bf3 are 8GB ram on a 64bit OS

Quote:

I always wondered how a 32-bit process/application like BF3 uses more than 4GB of memory? I don't think it is possible, BF3 will only use 4GB of system RAM (not VRAM)

if the memory manager wasn't capable of using more than 4Gb ram, then using a swap file on a 32bit OS with 4GB system ram would be superflous ;-) ...the memory manager maps physical memory to virtual address space... that is part of the reason why the minimum requirement for bf3 is 2GB minimum ram when using a 32bit OS ...

note the difference between the minimkum specs (32bit) and the recommended specs (64bit) above ...

if any of you want to learn more about how memory management in windows works, try this resource :
http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2008/07/21/3092070.aspx

ni9ht_5ta1k3r · 9th January 2013, 9:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by me2

if you run a 32bit process (driver or software) on a 64bit operating system,

i'm sorry but i am under the assumption that you can't use 32-bit drivers on a 64-bit system.

me2 · 16th January 2013, 7:44 PM

^a 32bit driver cannot allocate 64bit address space...

if you reread what i wrote, i was talking about 32bit processEs (not processOrs) ...

Quote:

if you run a 32bit process (driver or software) on a 64bit operating system, then the 64bit memory manager will allocate both a 32bit and a 64bit address for that process (i.e. it will use more physical memory)...

perhaps if i explain it like this ...

32bit programs are restricted to 32bit address space, including any processes from that program that require access/functionality to/of a driver or software

[edit] it should be noted that the more cores your processor has, the more system ram will be required for overheads as well ;-)

12th December 2012, 10:28 AM	#46
iinsom Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: The Riff Posts: 3,845	Ive got 6gb, but i mainly play bf3. Runs ok, but ive always wondered how it'd go with more __________________ BF3 STATS [ i7 920 @ 4Ghz ] [ Noctua D14 ] [ Gigabyte 680GTX SLi ] [ 6GB G-Skill 1600Mhz ] [ Gigabyte UD7 ] [ OCZ Vertex 3 120GB SSD + 64GB FalconII ] [ AW2310 ]

12th December 2012, 11:14 AM	#48
mooboyj Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 525	My laptop has 6GB RAM and all it used for is BF3. With W7, Chrome and BF3 running it sits on high 4s low 5s. If it is purely for BF3, then 6GB would be the minimum I'd look at. My brother uses my old desktop for BF3 only, and it has 4GB of RAM and he has no issues. With the price of DDR3 RAM, you'd be a fool not to grab at least 8GB of RAM __________________ "The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation" ~~Adolf Hitler~~ Stephen Conroy

12th December 2012, 1:04 PM	#49
ni9ht_5ta1k3r Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Slicin' & dicin'! Posts: 19,474	yay for having 16gb! __________________ XBOX Live/Steam: The Gh0sts - PSN: TheGhosts - Origin: Th3_Gh0sts HTPC: Prodigy HTPC \| Main PC: Armor A30 Work & Gaming PC \| My Portfolio - KL-23 Media

14th December 2012, 12:22 AM	#51
dualmassager Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Melbourne Posts: 949	For me, BF3 with random crap open: __________________ Main Rig:Intel i7-930\| ASUS Rampage III Extreme \| G.Skill Sniper + Trident 18GB\| Powercolor 5870 1GB PCS+ + ASUS 5870 v1 1GB (XFire)\| Enermax Modu87+ 700W \| NZXT Tempest \| Samsung F3 1TB \| Dell U2311H + 2x AOC i2353PH (IPS 5760x1080 )\| ATH-AD700/Logitech R10 /Denon C751

14th December 2012, 8:59 AM	#53
NanoDuke Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sydney 2043 Posts: 5,048	A Windows 7 64 bit start B Firefox loading C Origin starting D BF3 loading up E Campaign cutscene started F Running around in game (it was reading 4.11GB at this point) G Alt-tab out H Alt-tab back into game I Exit to main menu J Quit to windows That's my memory profile with 16GB. Unsure if it'll be much different in multiplayer. __________________ Horize P170EM Laptop - i7-3630QM 2.4Ghz - 16GB DDR3 1600Mhz - 17.3-inch FHD LED 72% GAMUT MATTE - AMD RADEON HD7970M 2.0GB GDDR5

15th December 2012, 1:12 PM	#54
Toliandar Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 131	Aren't most games still based on 32-bit structure which limits their RAM address to 4GB? EDIT Never mind me someone has already stated this. As for BF3 it will still run fine on 4GB however alt-tabbing wont be as smooth when compared to > 4GB. Last edited by Toliandar; 15th December 2012 at 1:24 PM.

22nd December 2012, 5:37 AM	#55
Ripley Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: The dark side of the moon Posts: 399	Skyrim with a crap load of mods and texture packs and a dislike for the constant hitches that happen from stuff loading as you move through the game world even with SSD's = get 32 MB and run Skyrim from a 24GB ram drive.