How much memory?

[Mike]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy one of Dell's XPS laptops. However, I'm not quite sure how much RAM to get. For the model I'm looking at you can have anywhere between 512mb and 4gb! I'm thinking of 1024, but will this be enough? I need this laptop to last a while, and with software developing quickly, will future programs be able to run smoothly on 1024mb memory?

What's everyone think?

Cheers,
Mike

[agua]

I'd go for as much as you can afford - you can never have enough RAM

[Johnny Gulag]

I've got a gig and it works for me, but as Aqua mentioned above you can never have too much. The comp I've got will allow for 4 gigs as well, if I ever get the spare money around I might add more. :)

[Todd W]

You`ll be fine with 1gb... anymore from dell and they will rape you. Get 1gb if you need more get it from the egg.

[Chris]

In addition to not needing more than 1024, if you did need more in the future, RAM is the easiest thing on a laptop to upgrade.

[MarkB]

1gb will do you fine. My new Qosmio only has half a gig, and it runs lovely.

[Mike]

Looks like 1 gig it is then :)

If I did want to upgrade, is it much hassle to get Dell to do it for me?

Cheers for all the responses guys.

[ogito]

i'm with 2gigs and don't think it is too much...

[chromate]

Dell charge stupid amounts for their RAM. If you need lots of RAM it's best to just buy it elsewhere and install it yourself. There's literally nothing more to it than just plugging it in.

In general 1GB should do you fine. I have half a gig in my laptop and don't have any problems using photoshop / illustrator with fairly big files.

[*infin8]

I dont think you will utilize the full 1024.. I have 1gb DDR555 - old stuff - and my PC handles a few big applications with ease

3DMax, Photoshop, Flash, DW etc

[jacob]

i'd go with the 512MB-1GB. most companies selling computers sell their base unit under cost and hugely make up for it on upgrades and shipping. i used to work for a PC manufacturer and we sold to big box stores across north america. it disgusted me that they sold their upgrades at prices hugely inflated over what it cost to buy parts off their shelves, not to mention, they didn't subtract the cost of the part that was removed (if any) for the upgrade!

[Mike]

The problem with installing it myself would be the warranty. I've a feeling it would be voided wouldn't it?

[MarkB]

Check their warranty, I wouldn't think so.

[jacob]

it shouldn't be. the system warranty might but the parts within the system won't be. most people buy computers and get a 'one year warranty' without realizing that each part in the computer is under warranty as well, some one year, others three years.

[KelliShaver]

No, it shouldn't void your warrenty.... unless you're this guy:


Friend: Just had a guy bring a laptop in. He was trying to put more memory in it.
Friend: He pulled the fan assembly out.
Me: I can sort of see where this is going.
Friend: When you do that you pull the processor too because of the heatsink gel.
Friend: He replaced the fan without first replacing the processor... put it all back in together....
Friend: bent many of the pins on the processor... no way to straighten them.
Me: LOL, poor guy...
Friend: The funny thing is he didn't need to remove the fan assembly at all.
Friend: He was sitting there looking at the memory slot as he removed the fan assembly.