# How much RAM to upgrade?



## Voider (Dec 3, 2016)

I'm considering upgrading my RAM since my projects are slowly getting bigger now. I've got 8GB at the moment, how much would I need to be "save" for the most things?

I really don't want to spend more than necessary at the moment and I've got a mainboard that is on DDR3.

Would 20GB be enough? Could buy 2x8GB and mix it with two 2x2GB from those that are build in now and run them in dual channel.


----------



## J-M (Dec 3, 2016)

Really depends on your project size+work style. I have 16GB and my template in Cubase is around 360 tracks but I make use of the "disable track" feature+purge in Kontakt, so my ram usage stays in check. Of course if it's a complex piece I'm working on then it goes up again. Like I wrote, really depends on how you work, but to me 20GB sounds fine, if you can't get more currently. But it's always nice to have some extra power in there waiting in case you need it in the future.  This forum is full of people who know so much more about computers than me, so I'd wait for their opinion as well. :D


----------



## ctsai89 (Dec 3, 2016)

I do full orchestra stuff with spitfire SSS, SSB, SSWW lol 16GB is barely enough. Recently upgarded to a mac pro and have 32Gb. Made a bit of difference but if you want all the mic's on, it's again, not enough. 64GB would be slow if you have all articulations and mics on so I would go for 128GB if you hate to have to keep thinking of limitations when you're about to be creative.


----------



## InLight-Tone (Dec 3, 2016)

I have 32gb and it's comfortable but what I consider the minimum, but I'm pining for 64 GB in the near future. I also do the Cubase/disabled track template thingy. 128GB would be future proofing somewhat but I'm looking at getting a laptop for more mobility so 64 will have to do....


----------



## synthpunk (Dec 3, 2016)

64gig here works fine and that's all I'll ever need

Ram these days is also pretty affordable


----------



## jcrosby (Dec 4, 2016)

Echoing others - 32 minimum for serious work, 64 or more preferred... 16 is fine for sketching, I do a fair amount on my laptop with 16... When it's time to kick into high gear though it's desktop and 64 GB and no looking back.


----------



## Phryq (Dec 4, 2016)

How about, instead of buying a powerhouse laptop (which will get hot, throttle, and be heavy), buy a portable Mini PC, and use your laptop as a controller. That's what I'm planning.

Something like this,
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ilki3W1ZymQ/UuH9u11oTFI/AAAAAAAAHCg/nChSNdyS0RU/s1600/Minoru1.jpg

And you can control it with an ultrabook. Another benefit - no fan noise.


----------



## Voider (Dec 4, 2016)

Hm.. When I start with 2x8GB kits I can still buy two additional to get to 32GB then and see first how it runs. 
I could afford buying 64GB but that doesn't make sense before I don't even have the libraries or projects that need so much.. But then if I ever want to go above 32GB, let's say really 64, the kits I buy are useless.


----------



## Phryq (Dec 4, 2016)

First of all, if you want more than 32gb of ram in a laptop, you'll need a laptop with 4 ram slots, as 16gb per card is the maximum possible.

Any laptop that has more than 2 ram slots will be a 'gamer laptop', meaning it will have a powerful GPU, meaning it be be heavy, hot, and loud.

On the other hand, if you buy a laptop with only 2 ram slots, you'll be limited to 32gb, so even if you want to upgrade later, you won't be able, because there will be no more slots to put your ram.

The most important question here - what libraries do you use, and what kind of music do you want to write?


----------



## jononotbono (Dec 4, 2016)

I have 32gb in one machine and 64gb in the other so far. I used to have only 16gb and I always ran out (even after purging and updating sample pools). But it does depend on what you are doing. Ram is so,cheap compared to when EWQLSO was the main Orchestral library on the market that I think the best advice is to just put in as much as the motherboard supports. Unless it's 128gb max. Then things get rather expensive


----------



## Voider (Dec 4, 2016)

I don't use a laptop, I have a PC that I always build myself. I want to do filmscores later, but can't tell a fixed genre yet. But from calm to heavy! 
My libraries/plugins are so far:
DM-307 (Drum-Machine)
Master Session: Ensemble Drums
Vocalise
Natural Forces
Dune II
The Grandeur (Piano)
HO Gold

64GB is expensive too, that's around 400€.

I could reach 20GB for only 80€.


----------



## Living Fossil (Dec 4, 2016)

InLight-Tone said:


> 128GB would be future proofing somewhat but I'm looking at getting a laptop for more mobility so 64 will have to do....



Anybody who has experiences with 128 GB Ram in a single machine?


----------



## jononotbono (Dec 4, 2016)

Voider said:


> I don't use a laptop, I have a PC that I always build myself. I want to do filmscores later, but can't tell a fixed genre yet. But from calm to heavy!
> My libraries/plugins are so far:
> DM-307 (Drum-Machine)
> Master Session: Ensemble Drums
> ...



Not if you Bay watch for secondhand ram. I bought 64gb of ECC ram for £110. Works like a charm. Obviously only buy from a reputable seller and do not hand a fistful of cash to some grubby cretin with an open car boot.


----------



## Voider (Dec 4, 2016)

I don't know.. It's cheaper but I always have an odd feeling about buying 2nd hand hardware. If it breaks I don't have a warranty left.


----------



## Voider (Dec 4, 2016)

I just see that there are no 16GB single ram kits for DDR3 anyway, 8GB seems to be the highest. So 32GB would be probably maximum for a DDR3 machine? At least mine got 4 slots.


----------



## jononotbono (Dec 4, 2016)

Well that's of course your own decision. I bought a secondhand Mac Pro 5,1early in 2016 and that was an amazing buy. I only buy secondhand components from reputable sellers.

Either way, if you are going to get into using lots of Orchestral Libraries you are going to want, in my opinion, way more than 32gb of ram. Just the ensemble patch for Cinematic Studio Strings comes in at around 4gb of ram. Yes, there are ways of saving ram (purging, updating sample pool, adjusting preload buffers, use of SSD and DFD streaming etc etc) but the reality is that this game is resource hungry and ram Just isnt expensive anymore. Unless of course you don't have a job and just smoke weed all day and night haha. Good luck with it all.


----------



## Voider (Dec 4, 2016)

My income at the moment is barely enough to live, all I have saved up I invested into libraries, my DAW and Midikeyboard and my budget that I've left is around 500€ before reaching the save zone that I don't want to touch for real live "emergencies". So investing 200€ or more now into RAM is critical since I can't afford the libraries then, that would require that RAM xD

But since my machine seems to be limited to 32GB in DDR3, I can upgrade to 20 first (2x8GB and use two of my 2gigs) and if I need more add another 2x8. I will also think about buying 2nd hand..


----------



## jononotbono (Dec 4, 2016)

312tb haha. That would be nice. Bloody phones and Auto check.

Just buy what you can afford. Having technological limitations teaches how to be so much more resourceful and often more creative. Trust me, I come from absolute poverty. A life of hand me downs and charity shop clothing. I have 3 jobs on top of any music work that is slowly coming in.

And don't worry about nonsense people say (usually gamers) about ram speed. 1033 - 1600 speed is fine. Absolutely fine. And cheaper.

Right I need to get back to work. This driveway won't dig itself.


----------

