[SOLVED] RAM and deterioration over time

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the Tom's Hardware community: where nearly two million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
dajjorg

dajjorg

Reputable
Apr 30, 2020
56
0
4,530
Hi all,

I’m looking to buy a new PC. I don’t game or video edit, i only use my PC to make very basic powerpoints and for web browsing. I bought a dirt cheap 4GB ram laptop that worked sufficiently fast for my very basic needs the first 2 years, but has been dirt slow the last 2 years 🙁

Would buying a pc with more RAM (8, 12, or 16GB) also mean a longer shelf life for getting decent speeds out of it? Or is any PC, regardless of how many GB’s of RAM it initially has, gonna become dirt slow after a couple years use?
 
Solution
USAFRet
dajjorg said:
Well, both SSD and Ram stick have been ordered. Youtube tutorials seem to abound on how to install them both, and yeah, the clean install before I put in the SSD.

USAFRet, thank you immensely. If you ever find yourself back in Madrid, dig up this old thread and hit me up, drinks will be on me. My word is my bond.
Click to expand...
You're on!

(but the clean install happens AFTER you install the new SSD)

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...
forums.tomshardware.com forums.tomshardware.com
Sort by date Sort by votes
So let's say that I were to buy a 8gb RAM stick and a 500GB/1TB ssd, and that weren't to have much of an effect. I assume I'd be able to transfer said RAM stick and SSD to another cheap new 4gb RAM laptop that i were to buy, no? Or would that depend on whether the physical dimensions of the RAM slot and the HHD slot on the new laptop were the same as my old (current) laptop?

I guess I wanna know whether a new RAM stick and SSD might become wasted money, or if I could use them no matter what...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Hmmm... i was thinking, that could be a pretty decent scenario. Go about buying new cheap $200-$300 GB ram systems every 2-3 years and just reinstalling the 8GB RAM stick and the SSD into each new laptop I bought... Unless new Operating System updates were to also affect the functionality of the RAM stick and SSD in the same way that OS updates affect CPU functionality...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Cool, so biggest takeaway from this I guess is that regardless of RAM, over the years the CPU will be the limiting factor and start to slow down the computer as new OS upgrades are released. And that CPU's are not pieces of hardware that are replaceable/upgradeable.

My conclusion: assuming my computing needs don't change, it would probably better to go about buying cheap $200-$300 laptops with 4gb RAM every 2-3 years, rather than buying a 8gb RAM laptop at double the prices with the hope that it lasts me twice as long at acceptable speeds... because there's a decent chance it won't, as OS upgrades will probably render the CPU of that 8gb RAM laptop too slow for my needs just as fast as that 4gb RAM laptop...

Let me know if you guys disagree with either assertion. You're the experts, not me.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
dajjorg said:
Cool, so biggest takeaway from this I guess is that regardless of RAM, over the years the CPU will be the limiting factor and start to slow down the computer as new OS upgrades are released. And that CPU's are not pieces of hardware that are replaceable/upgradeable.

My conclusion: assuming my computing needs don't change, it would probably better to go about buying cheap $200-$300 laptops with 4gb RAM every 2-3 years, rather than buying a 8gb RAM laptop at double the prices with the hope that it lasts me twice as long at acceptable speeds... because there's a decent chance it won't, as OS upgrades will probably render the CPU of that 8gb RAM laptop too slow for my needs just as fast as that 4gb RAM laptop...

Let me know if you guys disagree with either assertion. You're the experts, not me.
Click to expand...
No, not even that.

5 years ago when you bought it, a low end laptop with 4GB RAM was OK.
Today, 8GB would be the recommended minimum.

2025, a low end laptop with 16GB RAM might be the recommended min.


For "upgradability"...laptops are not in that world.
RAM, maybe.
Drive, maybe.
CPU, almost never.
GPU, almost never.

A laptop is what it is. Don't buy one with the prospect of 'upgrade' over time.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
As far as software changes...its not only the OS, but also all the other things. Including cruising around the web.

10 years ago, completely disregarding the OS...a laptop with 2GB RAM was just fine for web surfing.
Today, that SAME OS and cruising around the web would bring you to tears trying to do it in 2GB RAM.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet said:
As far as software changes...its not only the OS, but also all the other things. Including cruising around the web.

10 years ago, completely disregarding the OS...a laptop with 2GB RAM was just fine for web surfing.
Today, that SAME OS and cruising around the web would bring you to tears trying to do it in 2GB RAM.
Click to expand...

**, I thought technology was supposed to get cheaper over time, not the other way around. Unless, I mean, the 16gb RAM laptop of the future costs what the 4GB laptop of today costs. It is what it is, you said...

So, assuming that RAM demand is only going to increase as you say.... Would continuing to buy cheaper 4gb RAM laptops and, when they are still brand new, popping on an extra $30-$100 to buy and manually install extra RAM (to 8gb or 16gb) be a legit strategy for trying to get 2 or maybe 3 decent years out of it?

Or am I just gonna wanna suck it up and pay for an 8gb (and later 12gb, 16gb) RAM laptop, knowing that it too will probably go slow on me after a couple years due to CPU restraints?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Upvote 0 Downvote
The RAM thing has to do with increases in features, meaning they add more stuff to the programs so it need more RAM. The other part is programmers being lazy and not optimizing their code because," everyone has 8GB of RAM already, why should I optimize my program for 4GB and spend XYZ $100,000 more money paying programmers to do the optimization."
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
dajjorg said:
**, I thought technology was supposed to get cheaper over time, not the other way around. Unless, I mean, the 16gb RAM laptop of the future costs what the 4GB laptop of today costs. It is what it is, you said...

So, assuming that RAM demand is only going to increase as you say.... Would continuing to buy cheaper 4gb RAM laptops and, when they are still brand new, popping on an extra $30-$100 to buy and manually install extra RAM (to 8gb or 16gb) be a legit strategy for trying to get 2 or maybe 3 decent years out of it?

Or am I just gonna wanna suck it up and pay for an 8gb (and later 12gb, 16gb) RAM laptop, knowing that it too will probably go slow on me after a couple years due to CPU restraints?
Click to expand...
It is ABSOLUTELY getting cheaper.

2012, 120GB Kingston HyperX SSD - $80
2015, 250GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD - $110
2018, 500GB Samsung 860 EVO SSD - $90
2019, 1TB Intel 660p NVMe SSD - $88
(all personal purchases)

A low end laptop will be around $300. 5 years ago, that would have contained 4GB RAM.
Today, that same level/price laptop would contain 8GB.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet said:
It is ABSOLUTELY getting cheaper.

2012, 120GB Kingston HyperX SSD - $80
2015, 250GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD - $110
2018, 500GB Samsung 860 EVO SSD - $90
2019, 1TB Intel 660p NVMe SSD - $88
(all personal purchases)

A low end laptop will be around $300. 5 years ago, that would have contained 4GB RAM.
Today, that same level/price laptop would contain 8GB.
Click to expand...

Sorry, my price perception is perhaps skewed then... the cheapest i'm currently seeing for 8gb RAM at the big box retailers (Best Buy equivalent here in Spain, where i moved three years ago) is like 450 Euro ($500). Which is not that different from the $600 Toshiba Satellite with 8gb RAM that i bought stateside back in December of 2014. But if 8gb RAM laptops are now available back at home for $300 a pop then I believe you...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
@BestBuy:
tlgwd50.png


https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-i...emory-128gb-ssd-black/6387169.p?skuId=6387169
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yeah, maybe that's one reason it's so bewildering to you guys that i'm starting this thread about not wanting to just get that 8gb RAM-er... Hell, I wouldn't think twice about it if it were only $300... but yeah, those are my choices here:
-4gb RAM laptop for $200-$300
-8gb RAM laptop for $500-$600

Unless anyone thinks this is a terrible idea (and please let me know), I think I'm gonna go with another 4gb RAM laptop and just install 4gb more RAM myself, assuming that's not a super-colossal task. Replacing the HD with an SSD, looked quite easy on some quick youtube tutorials i found, hopefully replacing RAM won't be too difficult either.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
dajjorg said:
Yeah, maybe that's one reason it's so bewildering to you guys that i'm starting this thread about not wanting to just get that 8gb RAM-er... Hell, I wouldn't think twice about it if it were only $300... but yeah, those are my choices here:
-4gb RAM laptop for $200-$300
-8gb RAM laptop for $500-$600

Unless anyone thinks this is a terrible idea (and please let me know), I think I'm gonna go with another 4gb RAM laptop and just install some added RAM myself, assuming that's not a super-colossal task. Replacing the HD with an SSD card, looked quite easy on some quick youtube tutorials i found, hopefully replacing RAM won't be too difficult either.
Click to expand...
In YOUR position, I'd try to eke out a couple more years from the current laptop.
Swap the 4GB for an 8GB.
Swap the HDD for a 500GB SSD.
Under $150 total.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet said:
In YOUR position, I'd try to eke out a couple more years from the current laptop.
Swap the 4GB for an 8GB.
Swap the HDD for a 500GB SSD.
Under $150 total.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... you said before that it wouldn't make much sense to replace RAM and put an SSD because my CPU is ** and would be the main limiting factor, but that was before knowing the prices i face here.

What specs do I need to look for in the SSD and the RAM stick? I can open this baby up and send pics if that would help. The Amazon link you posted redirected me to Amazon Spain, and it says that it's available for purchase here, but stuff on Amazon is taking weeks to arrive here.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yes, your CPU is a LIMFAC.
However....in the context of another $300GB laptop with limited RAM, vs upping the current RAM to 8 and adding an SSD, for a lot less money...that might be the way to go.

8GB RAM
SSD
fresh install of the OS (wiping out several years of old gunk).

It will feel like a new system.

It would add a few years to that current system...not much shorter than a "new" $300 laptop (in your market), and for a lot less money.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet said:
Yes, your CPU is a LIMFAC.
However....in the context of another $300GB laptop with limited RAM, vs upping the current RAM to 8 and adding an SSD, for a lot less money...that might be the way to go.

8GB RAM
SSD
fresh install of the OS (wiping out several years of old gunk).

It will feel like a new system.

It would add a few years to that current system...not much shorter than a "new" $300 laptop (in your market), and for a lot less money.
Click to expand...


Okay, so what I've gathered from this post (correct me if I'm wrong or missing anything, as I don't wanna buy anything not compatible with my current laptop)..

SSD:
-should be at least 500GB
-should aim for around 500mb/s read/write speeds
-must be DDR3L-1600 RAM (or can it be any SSD listed as DDR3 ?)
-must be (or should be??) 2.5"
-about SATA, I don't know if that's a suggestion or requirement
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
dajjorg said:
Okay, so what I've gathered from this post (correct me if I'm wrong or missing anything, as I don't wanna buy anything not compatible with my current laptop)..

SSD:
-should be at least 500GB
-should aim for around 500mb/s read/write speeds
-must be DDR3L-1600 RAM (or can it be any SSD listed as DDR3 ?)
-must be (or should be??) 2.5"
-about SATA, I don't know if that's a suggestion or requirement
Click to expand...
The DDR3L-1600 is your RAM, not anything related to the SSD.

For the actual SSD to purchase....link your preferred shopping place and we can probably find something.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Much appreciated. This retailer's the only one that can get it to me within a couple days:

https://www.elcorteingles.es/electr...rch/?itemsPerPage=36&level=6&s=disco duro ssd

I've narrowed down the search results to just SSD's. If you want to execute a search, in Spanish it is "disco ssd", you'd type that in the bar that says "buscar" along with whatever other specs you were looking. Most of the specs will probably translate into Spanish the same as they are in English.



USAFRet said:
The DDR3L-1600 is your RAM, not anything related to the SSD.

For the actual SSD to purchase....link your preferred shopping place and we can probably find something.
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom