How much RAM to run Windows 7?

[bugo]

I'm looking into getting a laptop.  How much RAM do you need for Windows 7 to run fast?  Is 2 GB enough?  Or do I need 3 or 4?  I'm looking for experiences of others, not official system requirements from Microsoft.  I don't plan on playing games, just using it for internet, email, IM, playing music, and occasionally Photoshop.

[rickmastfan67]

Which type of the OS?  32-bit or 64-bit?

[bugo]

Which type of the OS?  32-bit or 64-bit?

It depends on the computer that I get.  I assume the 2GB machines are 32 bit and the 4GB machines are 64 bit.  I don't know what the 3GB machines run.

[rickmastfan67]

What I've heard, usally 3GB ones are 32-bit.

[algorerhythms]

I'm looking into getting a laptop.  How much RAM do you need for Windows 7 to run fast?  Is 2 GB enough?  Or do I need 3 or 4?  I'm looking for experiences of others, not official system requirements from Microsoft.  I don't plan on playing games, just using it for internet, email, IM, playing music, and occasionally Photoshop.

I'm currently running it on 2GB of RAM and it works fine, though if I were buying a new computer, I'd probably get the 64-bit machine, so it would be easier to upgrade the RAM later (or to get more RAM to begin with).

[rickmastfan67]

Yes I agree with you there.  IMO, 64-bit is the way to go right now.  Sure, there is no Flash for the 64-bit IE, but you still get the 32-bit IE with Windows 7, and flash works with it.

If you have any more questions about the 64-bit flavor of W7, don't hesitate to ask since that's what I'm running.

[bugo]

I use Firefox so IE is irrelevant to me.

[Chris]

I have a 64-bit 4 GB RAM Windows 7. Works perfectly fine, although I don't think it would run as smooth on 2 GB, especially if you use programs like video editing or games.

[vdeane]

64 bit is definitely the way to go.  Unless you have something that requires 32 bit (the only software I can think of like this is TI Connect), there's no downside to 64 bit.

[Truvelo]

Don't forget that with a 32-bit OS the maximum amount of memory it will recognize is 4GB regardless of how much you have installed. With programs getting ever larger and demanding more memory a 32-bit OS will soon reach its limits.

My current system I built last November has 6GB and I run the 64-bit version of Windows 7. It flies along compared to 32-bit XP I had on my previous 2GB system although the components are different so it's not a fair comparison.

[Mr_Northside]

My work computer here is running the 32-bit Win 7 with 1.5 gigs of RAM pretty fine.  Certainly not blazingly fast, but quite acceptable.

My computer I put together @ home has 4 gigs with the 64-bit version and runs quite well.

I'd say, if you're gonna have @ least 2 gigs, go for the 64-bit (assuming your processor will support it.. if you're just now getting the machine, I'd assume it would).  As someone already pointed out, more than 3.5 gigs and you'll need 64-bit to not "waste" the RAM.

I'm surprised at how much RAM prices seem to have increased.  Back in Feb '09 I bought 4 gigs (2x2) of Corsair from Newegg... They (Egg) had knocked off $10, and Corsair had a $30 rebate card.  With free shipping I got the 4 gigs for $24.99
Last I looked (a couple of weeks ago), that same memory kit was $80 something.  It's one of those times I'm REALLY glad I jumped on a deal when I did.

[Truvelo]

Memory prices are extremely volatile. When I built my last system in 2006 I paid around $200 for 2GB of DDR2. Last November when I built my current system I paid around the same price for 6Gb of DDR3. The most shocking was back in the early 90's when I paid $800 for 16MB of 30-pin SIMMS when I built my first system.

[Chris]

I remember when my dad bought his first new PC back in 1998 or so. 256 MB of RAM was around $ 1,000 back then.

What bothers me today are the prices of SD cards with 16 or more GB. I checked the "Media Markt" electronics shop this evening and they sold the 16 GB cards in excess of $ 60 per piece. 32 GB was around $ 130. I think that's a little too steep for me right now, I have two slots in my video camera and can film for about 2.5 hours before I have to transfer the files to my laptop. (I recorded about 16 hours of film during my last road trip)

[bugo]

I remember when my dad bought his first new PC back in 1998 or so. 256 MB of RAM was around $ 1,000 back then.

What bothers me today are the prices of SD cards with 16 or more GB. I checked the "Media Markt" electronics shop this evening and they sold the 16 GB cards in excess of $ 60 per piece. 32 GB was around $ 130. I think that's a little too steep for me right now, I have two slots in my video camera and can film for about 2.5 hours before I have to transfer the files to my laptop. (I recorded about 16 hours of film during my last road trip)

I have an 8 GB memory card in my camera and I can record for an hour and a half.  Your camera might take higher definition videos than mine does.

[Hellfighter]

64-bit will become standard as of Windows 8. Ideally, if you're going to do more than basic, 4GB+ is the way to go.

[Scott5114]

Over here on the Linux x86_64 side I'm just hitting the limitations of 1 GB, and even still I'm wringing the last little bit of RAM out of that by running Xfce instead of KDE. I'll probably get another 1 GB sometime this summer.

[vdeane]

64-bit will become standard as of Windows 8. Ideally, if you're going to do more than basic, 4GB+ is the way to go.

The same was said of Windows 7.  I think even Vista.

[Alps]

64-bit will become standard as of Windows 8. Ideally, if you're going to do more than basic, 4GB+ is the way to go.

The same was said of Windows 7.  I think even Vista.

64 bit will become standard when enough programs (especially core / widespread programs) support it as their primary OS and only back-support 32 bit, rather than the number of programs that either run in 32-bit more only or have minimal 64 bit support.  That should be the case by Windows 8, given the success of 7 will probably keep 8 at bay for a few years.  If my own computer survives until 8 comes out, I'll have an interesting and very quick decision to make whether 8 is going to be better than 7 or not (especially if 7 starts getting discounted at that time).

[Marc]

I'm dual booting between OS X and Windows 7 (32) on my Mac Pro. I have 3GB of RAM and it works flawlessly.

[bugo]

I ended up getting a laptop with 4GB of RAM and Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit.  It has run almost flawlessly so far.

[JREwing78]

The need for 4GB is less about the OS now than it is about the applications being run. Windows 7 functions well enough on 1GB of RAM (particularly with ReadyBoost), but Vista sucked unless it had 2GB to play with.

A lot of software now takes advantage of computers having lots of RAM to speed up performance, and even just a web browser can use up 1GB or more of RAM. Anti-virus software, Microsoft Office, iTunes - all of these can soak up RAM.

My current recommendation is to get no less than 4GB, and to buy a system than can be upgraded to at least 8GB of RAM. The biggest thing that causes a computer system to become obsolete now is not being able to install sufficient RAM.