Please help me decide on SSD vs RAM for Gaming

[Sergio Navarro]

I'm in the market for upgrading my computer, and I've been wondering what's best for me. And here's why I decided to do it: I run DA: Inquisition on windowed fullscreen on a monitor, and on a second monitor I run browsers (3-4 tabs) and skype mostly. What I've noticed is that after a while of clicking outside the game window the game will become sluggish, unless I restart it in which case it all runs fine again. This happens about 1 or 2 hours of clicking in and out (to check wikis, or talk in skype).

Here are my current specs on the computer:

- 3 2GB DD3 Kingston 1333mhz
- Seagate HDD 500 GB 7200 RPM SATA II
- Intel I7 930 2.8GHz 4.8 GT/s
- Asrock X58 extreme 6xDD3 5xPCI SOC
- GeForce GTX 750


What should I upgrade to help me alleviate this problem, RAM, or SSD? If its RAM, what would be the preferred way to go?

Thanks!

 

[Havo_k]

The only impact that a SSD has on gaming performance is reducing game loading times. I would suggest upgrading RAM to 8GB 1600mhz or even 16GB 1600mhz.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Try this 1st

1. Open task manager / processes tab
2. Find the exe file for your game.
3. Right click and "select affinity"
4. Assign "all cores" or whatever suits ya fancy....leave 1 maybe for ya other stuff

 

[JackNaylorPE]

The only impact that a SSD has on gaming performance is reducing game loading times. I would suggest upgrading RAM to 8GB 1600mhz or even 16GB 1600mhz.

Not an option .... on his board, he needs triple channel .....3 x 2 GB, 3 x 4 GB etc

 

[Sergio Navarro]

If I upgrade RAM, what does that mean? Does it mean I have to always have three sticks installed in?

 

[JackNaylorPE]

dual channel - install in sets of 2
triple channel - install in sets of 3
quad channel - install in sets of 4

Your system will run at optimum performance if installed in the appropriate configuration. It will run, but performance will be gimped somewhat if not.

 

[Sergio Navarro]

I currently have 3 sticks of 2 GBS DDR3 Kingston 1333mhz each, will it run smoothly if I install 3 sticks of DDR3 ADATA 4 GB 1333MHZ UDIMM ? Altogether with the 6gb i currently have of course, making it 18 GB of total memory. Is it possible?

 

[JackNaylorPE]

That's going to be a crapshoot.

1. 6 modules are only going to be guaranteed to work if they came in the same package.

2. They are different brands (strike 2), different sizes (strike 32), I have no idea whether they are the same timings, same voltage or same module supplier ... might work, might work with increased voltages, relaxed timings ... might not work at all.

12 GB set - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226399

 

[bimbaws]

Better upgrade RAM, for gaming it's more important. .SSD is better for faster launching of PC, or loading of games.