How much RAM do I need to Run Windows Vista Home premium smoothly?

Question

Ive heard that Vista consumes a large amount of RAM, Im getting a new computer which will have 3Gb RAM which in my mind should be more than enough, however I want to be sure before I make the purchase.

Thanks

Answer 1

Im using vista at the moment and only with 512mb and it works perfect.

Answer 2

The optimum for vista is about 1gb so 3gb will do it more than justice.

Answer 3

Unless you are running the 64 bit version of Vista then 3Gb is as much as the operating system will be able to physically use so it should be fine.

Answer 4

usually they say you need at least 1 to run smoothly, but 2 would be better. with 3 you're well off.

:D

Answer 5

That is fine I have vista and 2GB ram

Answer 6

2GB minimum, 3GB is sufficient.

I have Vista ultimate which requires 4GB minimum.

Answer 7

I have 768 MB of RAM & Ge Force 7200 gs graphics card. I can run Vista smoothly. However I think 512 MB of RAM wiil be ok ,if you have pixel 2.0 sheder graphics inbuild (normally it does).

Answer 8

it should be plenty i have the same as you have and my ram is 1 GB and that is plenty for me

hope this helps

p.s be careful with vista is it can break down at anytime for no reason but most of the time it works brillently. when you come to buy the laptop make sure the product key matches as microsoft give a general key number when made and then when it gets to the UK they give it a different one (this is only on some not all!)

Answer 9

It's not the RAM that Vista requires that's really the problem, it's the system resource-hungry apps that you might run on top of it. I have friend who's running Adobe Creative Suite 3 on 3GB RAM and it can be a bit of a struggle when he needs to get things done in a hurry. I would say that 4GB minimum is now required for all but the lightest of apps.

Mind you, my friend hates Vista so much he's selling his machine and buying an Apple iMac. Can't say I blame him!

Answer 10

Microsoft say it will run on 1Gb which is true. A Formula 1 Ferrari would run with a 1000cc mini engine but it ain't winning any races. I am running it with 2GB and I can  browse the web while running Media Player in the background for some sound and it flies. 3Gb is pretty much all you can ask for. Go for it and enjoy. It was slagged off at first and rightly so but it's a d**n good O/S now the drivers and SP2 have arrived.

Answer 11

3 GB is the max that the operating system will handle (unless running 64bit version).

1GB is what the "minimum" system requirements are... this means that you will need at least that much for it to run "basic"

2GB is the "Recommended" amount. This means that the "bells and whistles" of the operating system will run better without lagging.

3GB would be the best option, especially since system memory is not the expensive anymore.

Hope I helped....