Administrative and Service Personnel Light to Medium - Word processing, email, spreadsheets, fax/communications, Internet 128MB - 256MB Medium to Heavy - Complex documents, running multiple applications, business graphics, presentation software 256MB - 512MB Executives and Analysts Light to Medium - Proposals, graphic presentations, project management, databases, Internet 128MB - 512MB Medium to Heavy - Statistical applications. large databases, complex presentations, video conferencing 256MB-1024MB Engineers and Designers Light to Medium - 2-4 color line drawings, multimedia presentations, photo editing, web development, sound editing 256MB-1024MB Medium to Heavy - 3D CAD, animation, complex photo editing, real-time video, digital imaging, solid modeling 256MB - 1GB or System Max bottom line, just max it out.
I ordered RAM from Crucial a few years ago. The price seemed pretty good. Delivery was fast. No complaints here.
just add 2 more 256 sticks from ebay. don't forget to run memtest after upgrade. http://www.memtest86.com/ http://cgi.ebay.com/HYNIX-MEMORY-PC...QcategoryZ44937QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The memory works with identical pair per slot, it can't be a single 1GB. There are two slots and each slot contains one pair, the first slot already contained 2x256MB and the second slot is empty, available for upgrading. However, it doesn't matter that each slot contain different memory size, the same size is only required within the same slot. The combination would be: 1. 256MBx2 => 1GB in total since already had 2X256MB in the first slot. 2. 512MBx2 => 1.5GB, keeping old memory. 3. 1GBx2 => 2.5GB, keeping old memory. 4. 1GBx2 + 1GBx2 => 4GB, removing old memory . The overall speed will be at the lowest memory speed. Then it's important to check the speed of the old memory to avoid spending money on ultra fast memory for nothing as well the number of pin to match with the slot, some are 184-pin, 200-pin, etc. Unless you decide to remove the old memory then it's worth to buy the fastest.
I am using a P4 2.8 duo core, with 512 MB ram before and 2G ram now. Backtest time cut in half, not much differences in RT analysis (recalculation with every tick, about 20 functions, including external formula in 3 types of entries). I would say this is a minimum if you are running anything complex.
good deal for RAM- http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=586829 Ultra 512MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz CL3 Memory-$10 AR
I recently upgraded the RAM on my trading computer. I added two 1-gb generic-brand sticks and it suits my needs. From what I understand, as long as you've got the right type of RAM for your box, any configuration should work OK, except it's recommended to have pairs matched by brand. However, a computer-savvy friend told me that to absolutely maximize RAM performance: 1) Crucial brand RAM is the highest-quality stuff out there. 2) Install a 512-mb stick of RAM, all the same brand, into each slot. Apparently 1-gb sticks function less efficiently than the 512-mb sticks. (I didn't quite understand the explanation I was given, but it had something to do with the RAM distribution being like storage bins: it's quicker to reach into and empty smaller bins, hence 512-mb sticks being better for performance.) I know eSignal recommends 1gb total memory for power users.