110
Your next Windows PC may need at least 16GB of RAM (www.ghacks.net)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/technology@beehaw.org
122 comments fedilink hide all child comments
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 7 points 2 years ago (6 children)

RAM is cheap, and even if you're just doing absolute basic shit your current PC will work better with 16GB of RAM (also looking at you here, Apple). If it's not a phone you're buying don't get anything with less than 16GB.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 6 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (4 children)

    I'd like a phone with 16GB of RAM... using a 3GB one right now, and between a Lemmy app, a browser, and maybe some other app, it keeps running out of RAM and closing the keyboard app, which is a real nuisance.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    On a phone the additional power draw of larger modules can be an issue - plus phones are designed to freeze background apps to conserve memory, so you can get away with less.

    I currently have 6GB in my phone, which mostly is fine. In a few situations I'd have preferred having 8, though. 4 or less hasn't made sense for a few years now.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Not sure how much of a difference would that make to power draw. There are already some phones with 12GB of RAM, and most of the power still goes to lighting up the screen.

    My main gripe is that they all come paired with some fancy cameras which drive up the costs. I'd rather have a basic camera and even a lower resolution screen, with a ton of RAM, than the other way around.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I guess it depends on how you are using your phone. If you're mostly using it between charges (possibly replacing other devices) it indeed doesn't matter. If you care about standby time, or use it as music player or similar tasks more than active use it does matter.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    RAM can also enter a low power mode:

    A 64GB laptop configured with two 32GB DDR4 modules consumes less than 4.6 watts (W) in active mode and less than 1.4W when idle

    DDR5 uses about 20% less power, so for 16GB you're looking at less than 0.3W... likey way less, since a Samsung S24 Ultra with 12GB of RAM claims up to 95 hours "while listening to music". That's on a 5000mAh battery, or 18Wh, meaning less than 0.2W for "CPU + 12GB RAM + Bluetooth + storage".

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent