Ram Needed

I am about to purchase a new laptop. It will be a Vista Home Premium.

The one I am looking at comes with 2GB of ram and is not expandable.

Some machines being sold are expandable, usually to 4GB.

When I bought my GW 500X it came with 256MB of ram and I upgraded it
to 500MB and finally to 1GB.

Anybody want to make a guess as to what the typical ram requirements
will be in say, 4 years.

Does "not expandable" really mean you can't take out the current RAM and
replace with larger memory? That would seem unlikely. What model are you
looking at?
Tom

"swalker" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I am about to purchase a new laptop. It will be a Vista Home Premium.
>
> The one I am looking at comes with 2GB of ram and is not expandable.
>
> Some machines being sold are expandable, usually to 4GB.
>
> When I bought my GW 500X it came with 256MB of ram and I upgraded it
> to 500MB and finally to 1GB.
>
> Anybody want to make a guess as to what the typical ram requirements
> will be in say, 4 years.

"Anybody want to make a guess..."
Not really.
Only you and the specific uses of the computer can make that
determination.

Some are successfully using computers with less than 1 GB ram while
others need over 3 GB.
Both are doing very well at what they do.

How have your memory requirements changed over the past several years.
Or how have the memory requirements of others who do what you now do
changed over the last several years.

If you post the model, someone may be able to give you specific
information on that computer.
Or you could check for yourself using the Crucial Memory Advisor:
http://www.crucial.com/

--
Jupiter Jones
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"swalker" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I am about to purchase a new laptop. It will be a Vista Home Premium.
>
> The one I am looking at comes with 2GB of ram and is not expandable.
>
> Some machines being sold are expandable, usually to 4GB.
>
> When I bought my GW 500X it came with 256MB of ram and I upgraded it
> to 500MB and finally to 1GB.
>
> Anybody want to make a guess as to what the typical ram requirements
> will be in say, 4 years.

On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 08:50:58 -0700, "Tom from WI"
<> wrote:

>Does "not expandable" really mean you can't take out the current RAM and
>replace with larger memory? That would seem unlikely. What model are you
>looking at?
>Tom
>
>"swalker" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>>I am about to purchase a new laptop. It will be a Vista Home Premium.
>>
>> The one I am looking at comes with 2GB of ram and is not expandable.
>>
>> Some machines being sold are expandable, usually to 4GB.
>>
>> When I bought my GW 500X it came with 256MB of ram and I upgraded it
>> to 500MB and finally to 1GB.
>>
>> Anybody want to make a guess as to what the typical ram requirements
>> will be in say, 4 years.
>

The machine is a HP. Not expandable means exactly that.

If you go to any of the big-box sellers of new laptops almost every
one is loaded with Vista, some with only 512mb of ram and can only be
expanded to 1GB.

In addition many of these machines have limited, and sometimes no,
dedicated memory on the graphics card. They are sharing memory to make
up the loss.

Which is why one of the guys at the store told me they referred to
them as go-and-come machines cause they go out the door and come right
back to be upgraded.

"swalker" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 08:50:58 -0700, "Tom from WI"
> <> wrote:
>
>>Does "not expandable" really mean you can't take out the current RAM and
>>replace with larger memory? That would seem unlikely. What model are you
>>looking at?
>>Tom
>>
>>"swalker" <> wrote in message
>>news:. ..
>>>I am about to purchase a new laptop. It will be a Vista Home Premium.
>>>
>>> The one I am looking at comes with 2GB of ram and is not expandable.
>>>
>>> Some machines being sold are expandable, usually to 4GB.
>>>
>>> When I bought my GW 500X it came with 256MB of ram and I upgraded it
>>> to 500MB and finally to 1GB.
>>>
>>> Anybody want to make a guess as to what the typical ram requirements
>>> will be in say, 4 years.
>>
>
> The machine is a HP. Not expandable means exactly that.
>
> If you go to any of the big-box sellers of new laptops almost every
> one is loaded with Vista, some with only 512mb of ram and can only be
> expanded to 1GB.
>
> In addition many of these machines have limited, and sometimes no,
> dedicated memory on the graphics card. They are sharing memory to make
> up the loss.
>
> Which is why one of the guys at the store told me they referred to
> them as go-and-come machines cause they go out the door and come right
> back to be upgraded.
>
>
Do you have an actual model number of the HP laptop you are looking at? I
hear what you are saying, but it would seem incredible to build a Vista
laptop that had a maximum of 1 GB RAM.
Tom

The one I am considering has 2GB.

But for some others, see HP dv6308nr, Smsung NP-Q1UAY01,
Compaq C571NR

On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 19:04:28 -0700, "Tom from WI"
<> wrote:

>
>"swalker" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 08:50:58 -0700, "Tom from WI"
>> <> wrote:
>>
>>>Does "not expandable" really mean you can't take out the current RAM and
>>>replace with larger memory? That would seem unlikely. What model are you
>>>looking at?
>>>Tom
>>>
>>>"swalker" <> wrote in message
>>>news: ...
>>>>I am about to purchase a new laptop. It will be a Vista Home Premium.
>>>>
>>>> The one I am looking at comes with 2GB of ram and is not expandable.
>>>>
>>>> Some machines being sold are expandable, usually to 4GB.
>>>>
>>>> When I bought my GW 500X it came with 256MB of ram and I upgraded it
>>>> to 500MB and finally to 1GB.
>>>>
>>>> Anybody want to make a guess as to what the typical ram requirements
>>>> will be in say, 4 years.
>>>
>>
>> The machine is a HP. Not expandable means exactly that.
>>
>> If you go to any of the big-box sellers of new laptops almost every
>> one is loaded with Vista, some with only 512mb of ram and can only be
>> expanded to 1GB.
>>
>> In addition many of these machines have limited, and sometimes no,
>> dedicated memory on the graphics card. They are sharing memory to make
>> up the loss.
>>
>> Which is why one of the guys at the store told me they referred to
>> them as go-and-come machines cause they go out the door and come right
>> back to be upgraded.
>>
>>
>Do you have an actual model number of the HP laptop you are looking at? I
>hear what you are saying, but it would seem incredible to build a Vista
>laptop that had a maximum of 1 GB RAM.
>Tom
>

The HP and the Compaq come with 2 256MB boards and, as you say, can only be
expanded to 2GB maximum. I looked around at low priced (around $700) laptops
at Dell, they all had a 2GB max memory, so I guess that must be the standard
for the low end. Even their $1000 laptops were limited to 2GB.

I am running a desktop with 2 GB and Vista Home Premium and a integrated
graphics card that has 512MB memory. I am not a game player, but I do a lot
of photo editing, create some DVDs with movies and slides, and copy my old
vinyl LPs (yes, I'm old!) to my PC to make MP3 CDs for my car. The PC runs
very fast for my use, so the 2GB is plenty (it can be further upgraded, if
needed). It obviously depends on what you do on your laptop. I have 1GB on
my WinXP laptop, which is now 2 years old. I have had no reason to add more
memory. I do some photo editing on my laptop, but mostly it is used for
internet access, limited Word and Excel usage.

I'm guessing that in 4 years, you will think your laptop would be a good
boat anchor (for a small boat). But, it depends on what you plan to use it
for.
Tom

"swalker" <> wrote in message
news:...
> The one I am considering has 2GB.
>
> But for some others, see HP dv6308nr, Smsung NP-Q1UAY01,
> Compaq C571NR
>
> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 19:04:28 -0700, "Tom from WI"
> <> wrote:
>
>>
>>"swalker" <> wrote in message
>>news:. ..
>>> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 08:50:58 -0700, "Tom from WI"
>>> <> wrote:
>>>
>>>>Does "not expandable" really mean you can't take out the current RAM and
>>>>replace with larger memory? That would seem unlikely. What model are you
>>>>looking at?
>>>>Tom
>>>>
>>>>"swalker" <> wrote in message
>>>>news: m...
>>>>>I am about to purchase a new laptop. It will be a Vista Home Premium.
>>>>>
>>>>> The one I am looking at comes with 2GB of ram and is not expandable.
>>>>>
>>>>> Some machines being sold are expandable, usually to 4GB.
>>>>>
>>>>> When I bought my GW 500X it came with 256MB of ram and I upgraded it
>>>>> to 500MB and finally to 1GB.
>>>>>
>>>>> Anybody want to make a guess as to what the typical ram requirements
>>>>> will be in say, 4 years.
>>>>
>>>
>>> The machine is a HP. Not expandable means exactly that.
>>>
>>> If you go to any of the big-box sellers of new laptops almost every
>>> one is loaded with Vista, some with only 512mb of ram and can only be
>>> expanded to 1GB.
>>>
>>> In addition many of these machines have limited, and sometimes no,
>>> dedicated memory on the graphics card. They are sharing memory to make
>>> up the loss.
>>>
>>> Which is why one of the guys at the store told me they referred to
>>> them as go-and-come machines cause they go out the door and come right
>>> back to be upgraded.
>>>
>>>
>>Do you have an actual model number of the HP laptop you are looking at? I
>>hear what you are saying, but it would seem incredible to build a Vista
>>laptop that had a maximum of 1 GB RAM.
>>Tom
>>

In 4 years we will be using Vista (or XP) ....

2GB will be more than adequate for most people.


swalker wrote:
> I am about to purchase a new laptop. It will be a Vista Home Premium.
>
> The one I am looking at comes with 2GB of ram and is not expandable.
>
> Some machines being sold are expandable, usually to 4GB.
>
> When I bought my GW 500X it came with 256MB of ram and I upgraded it
> to 500MB and finally to 1GB.
>
> Anybody want to make a guess as to what the typical ram requirements
> will be in say, 4 years.

I do not know of ANY laptop in current production that does not have two
memory slots that can each take a 1GB module (without regard to what
they come with).


swalker wrote:
> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 08:50:58 -0700, "Tom from WI"
> <> wrote:
>
>> Does "not expandable" really mean you can't take out the current RAM and
>> replace with larger memory? That would seem unlikely. What model are you
>> looking at?
>> Tom
>>
>> "swalker" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> I am about to purchase a new laptop. It will be a Vista Home Premium.
>>>
>>> The one I am looking at comes with 2GB of ram and is not expandable.
>>>
>>> Some machines being sold are expandable, usually to 4GB.
>>>
>>> When I bought my GW 500X it came with 256MB of ram and I upgraded it
>>> to 500MB and finally to 1GB.
>>>
>>> Anybody want to make a guess as to what the typical ram requirements
>>> will be in say, 4 years.
>
> The machine is a HP. Not expandable means exactly that.
>
> If you go to any of the big-box sellers of new laptops almost every
> one is loaded with Vista, some with only 512mb of ram and can only be
> expanded to 1GB.
>
> In addition many of these machines have limited, and sometimes no,
> dedicated memory on the graphics card. They are sharing memory to make
> up the loss.
>
> Which is why one of the guys at the store told me they referred to
> them as go-and-come machines cause they go out the door and come right
> back to be upgraded.
>
>

On Fri, 03 Aug 2007 01:19:06 -0400, Barry Watzman
<> wrote:

>I do not know of ANY laptop in current production that does not have two
>memory slots that can each take a 1GB module (without regard to what
>they come with).

I know nothing of slots.

The Compaq Presario C571NR comes with 1GB and is not expandable,
according to the advertised specs.



>
>
>swalker wrote:
>> On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 08:50:58 -0700, "Tom from WI"
>> <> wrote:
>>
>>> Does "not expandable" really mean you can't take out the current RAM and
>>> replace with larger memory? That would seem unlikely. What model are you
>>> looking at?
>>> Tom
>>>
>>> "swalker" <> wrote in message
>>> news:...
>>>> I am about to purchase a new laptop. It will be a Vista Home Premium.
>>>>
>>>> The one I am looking at comes with 2GB of ram and is not expandable.
>>>>
>>>> Some machines being sold are expandable, usually to 4GB.
>>>>
>>>> When I bought my GW 500X it came with 256MB of ram and I upgraded it
>>>> to 500MB and finally to 1GB.
>>>>
>>>> Anybody want to make a guess as to what the typical ram requirements
>>>> will be in say, 4 years.
>>
>> The machine is a HP. Not expandable means exactly that.
>>
>> If you go to any of the big-box sellers of new laptops almost every
>> one is loaded with Vista, some with only 512mb of ram and can only be
>> expanded to 1GB.
>>
>> In addition many of these machines have limited, and sometimes no,
>> dedicated memory on the graphics card. They are sharing memory to make
>> up the loss.
>>
>> Which is why one of the guys at the store told me they referred to
>> them as go-and-come machines cause they go out the door and come right
>> back to be upgraded.
>>
>>