4GB or 8GB RAM

pvcleave

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I am looking at getting a Service Pro 4. I figure the Core i5 version process is fine. I am ok with 128 or 256 GB of storage. The only issue I have is the RAM. There is a big difference between the model with 4GB and 8GB RAM. My work computer came with 4GB and was unusable, but I was able to add more.

The question I have is, what are your opinions on 4GB of RAM? Those of you that have the i5 with 4GB are you having issues, or not what all do you run?

Thanks for your help.
 

TechFreak1

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I feel that the question should be:

Why was your work computer unusable with 4 gigs of ram?

Furthermore what CPU does it have?
 

Vasrias

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I have the 4gb model and would buy at least 8gb next time. If you are a programmer or want to use virtualization sometimes, it's best to go for the 8gb. Otherwise 4gb are fine. The other thing that uses a lot of ram, besides virtualization, are lots of open tabs in a browser. But I wouldn't pay a few hundred bucks more just to have more tabs open. So, if you use virtualization, go for the 8gb, probably if you edit lots of high res photos or videos as well. Otherwise the 4gb are enough.
 

Vasrias

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Okay. I have no idea how much ram this finance stuff uses, but if you had problems with 4gb on your pc, you probably need more than that on your SP as well. You could check your ram usage via task manager on your pc to see, how much you need with normal usage. It could be usable with 4gb, because the ssd of the SP is much faster than a hdd (presumably you had a hdd on your pc and not a ssd) and therefore the swapfile is written and read much faster.
But if you need it, it's better to spend more bucks and have a great experience with your device than saving some cash and hate working with it. :)
 

TechFreak1

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TechFreak1,

I work in finance so there is a lot of models and programs that need to be open at one time.

I see, in that case you would need something with a little more oomph in terms of CPU for better compute performance. If I was to guess your work machine's CPU is the bottle neck and it will also depend on what type of RAM i.e if it's DDR3 or DDR2. Work machines tend to be very very old, unless your company doesn't mind shelling out every couple of years for new machines :).

But I'm just guessing here as you haven't specified what applications you use therefore it would be hard to gauge without looking at the system requirements for the aforesaid applications.

Furthermore if your work machine has a mechanical hdd then chances are it's extremely fragmented therefore resulting in longer seek times therefore giving the impression you need more RAM.

I am probably go with the 4GB, the faster swap file should be enough.

Perhaps, it will be :).
 

teddystiles

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I use a workstation at home and a workstation at work, both with 16GB. Because my SP4 is a go-between device, 4GB of RAM is plenty. Occasionally, when doing something more demanding, I just remote into either workstation.
 

pvcleave

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I see, in that case you would need something with a little more oomph in terms of CPU for better compute performance. If I was to guess your work machine's CPU is the bottle neck and it will also depend on what type of RAM i.e if it's DDR3 or DDR2. Work machines tend to be very very old, unless your company doesn't mind shelling out every couple of years for new machines :).
.


So like most big corporations, technology does not change quickly. So the new machines that they are rolling out are I5-4310M 4GB DDR3 RAM. It is a mechanical HDD. They also just moved to 64-bit Windows 7.

I have upgraded my RAM to 16GB. Everyone in my Corporate Finance group is switching to 16GB. The old machines came with 4GB as well, but the were running the 32 bit version of Windows 7. One thing large organizations also have, is a lot of software to protect and monitor the computers. In this day and age, because a company can be liable for what an individual does on it's computer, the company has to protect itself. Just like spyware can slow a computer down, I assume the company "spyware" is slowing it down too. Granted I would not be running all this software on my tablet, so I may not have the same issues, but I always think it is better to have it and not need it, then to not have it and need it.
 

pvcleave

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I use a workstation at home and a workstation at work, both with 16GB. Because my SP4 is a go-between device, 4GB of RAM is plenty.

I am wondering if 4GB will be plenty, because I do have other computers. I have been thinking it might, that is why I asked the question. Being a finance guy, saving $270 looks good, if I will not need the extra 4 GB. $270 is just enough to make me stop and think about it. If it had been $150 difference, I would get the 8GB without even thinking. I am not worried about the difference in storage on the devices.
 

teddystiles

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I am wondering if 4GB will be plenty, because I do have other computers. I have been thinking it might, that is why I asked the question. Being a finance guy, saving $270 looks good, if I will not need the extra 4 GB. $270 is just enough to make me stop and think about it. If it had been $150 difference, I would get the 8GB without even thinking. I am not worried about the difference in storage on the devices.

I say save the money, especially if this isn't going to be your primary production device. I've had dozens of tabs open in Chrome without noticeable slowdown (although it probably hasn't helped my battery life). In fact, I've not noticed any slowdown, to be honest, doing anything - including light Photoshop work.

Never a better time to jump in, either. I bought in December so I payed more, didn't get a dock, and had to live through 3 months of pretty serious bugs. Now the thing works like a charm though - most versatile PC I've ever owned!
 

v535

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I am looking at getting a Service Pro 4. I figure the Core i5 version process is fine. I am ok with 128 or 256 GB of storage. The only issue I have is the RAM. There is a big difference between the model with 4GB and 8GB RAM. My work computer came with 4GB and was unusable, but I was able to add more.

The question I have is, what are your opinions on 4GB of RAM? Those of you that have the i5 with 4GB are you having issues, or not what all do you run?

Thanks for your help.
I think you answered your question, yourself. Go with 8 Gigs of RAM if you felt sluggish performance in day-day tasks.
 

seremify

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IMO the 8gb of ram is a must have just to ensure it stays current and doesn't become a constraint too quickly. It'll also help your resale value in future. You can google for "how much ram do I need" and you'll find that most people say 8gb is the optimal spot without being excessive nowadays as 4gb will cause you to hit the ceiling a bit more often.
 

pvcleave

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Thanks everyone for your comments. I ended up with 8GB of RAM version. So far I am really liking the surface. Very quiet and the keyboard works great on the lap. I watched a review of the unit and the lady was saying she thought it worked great on the lap if you moved the stand further back. It really makes typing much easier.
 

pvcleave

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I have to take it back and exchange it. The power button does not seem to be working properly. If the tablet is off, it will not turn it on occasionally. I have to keep pressing it. Unless there is some trick to pushing a power button, that I am not aware of.
 

teddystiles

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I have to take it back and exchange it. The power button does not seem to be working properly. If the tablet is off, it will not turn it on occasionally. I have to keep pressing it. Unless there is some trick to pushing a power button, that I am not aware of.

Of course, make sure that you have the latest updates installed. This behavior may not be the power button and instead may be just a failure to wake. It used to happen to me constantly, but as of the last round of updates, the problem has been mostly fixed. Maybe once a week or less it still happens.

I hold down the power button for 15 seconds (to confirm that it is actually off), and then a single press brings it back to life.
 

pvcleave

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Of course, make sure that you have the latest updates installed. This behavior may not be the power button and instead may be just a failure to wake. It used to happen to me constantly, but as of the last round of updates, the problem has been mostly fixed. Maybe once a week or less it still happens.

I hold down the power button for 15 seconds (to confirm that it is actually off), and then a single press brings it back to life.

Thanks. It seems to have cleared up. I did get the extended warrenty, so I am going to hold off.
 

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