8Gb or 16Gb?

[jmpld]

I'm about to buy a new laptop for use with Mixcraft. Looks like it'll have one of the i7 quad-core processors and run Windows 10 64-bit (or maybe Windows 7 64-bit). My question is whether there's a reason to get more than 8Gb RAM. If I get 16Gb will Mixcraft actually perform better, or is 16Gb overkill? (I've also read that 16Gb will make a laptop run hotter, but it didn't specify under what circumstances. I don't do any gaming or video editing.)
Thanks for your thoughts.

[fredfish]

I sort of depends on what you want to do with Mixcraft.

If you want to run a load of different VSTs and / or use a load of samples then I would absolutly go for 16gb.

If you are only going to be running a few tracks at a time then you would probably get away with 8GB BUT - do you really know what you want to do even a little way down the line?

I would say when it comes to memory you cant really have too much - with a laptop it can be quite expensive to add more ram down the line.

With regard to overheating - my understanding is that it isnt too much of a problem with modern technology as long as you are sensible - dont run your laptop on a bed or soft furnishings (or, ironically, even your lap ) as this can block the ventilation grills which are usually on the bottom. You can get laptop stands that provide additional cooling if you are worried.

So bottom line is you might get away with 8GB - but you should probably go for 16GB - I dont think I have ever had a conversation with someone who said "I really wish I bought a computer with less memory".

Just my 2 penneth.

Cheers

John

[chibear]

If you use or intend to use libraries that stream from EWQL Play or Ni Kontakt, then definitely go for 16GB, which, depending on the library you choose to work with may still not be enough as the new gen libraries seem to be averaging <> 2GB an instrument.

Something else to consider if you intend to stream samples is number of drives and drive speed. This isn't so important if you are working with audio only, but if you are intending to stream samples then 5400RPM doesn't cut it. You need 7200 RPM or SSD. Ideally for a laptop setup you should stream from an external drive to minimize artifacts.

[Rolling Estonian]

The general rule is to get as much power as you can afford. Fast drives whether SSD or 7200rpm is important too.

M

[aquataur]

for memory, just built a new i7 machine and spent 16GB.
although 8GB seemed more than ample, it came into the bargain.
Fact is, in two years or so the prices for by then "old fashioned" memory sticks will have gone up ridiculously.

X99 mainboards for LGA2011 cpu´s are in the advent, which use DDR4 rams. Soon before long all others will be hard to get and overly expensive.

Now, the 16GB certainly don´t hurt, although they are mostly idle. But this can change. Programs are becoming more and more exorbitant for memory usage. So this is a reason to get more than 8GB.

Funnily W7 is not shy to create a pagefile exactly the same size. Moreover, if you want hybrid standby mode enabled, the hibernation file is 16GB too.

What used to be a performance improvement during start-up on the 32bit machine (boot from the hibernation file) now becomes a performance brake - if you use normal HD.

Allegedly, for SSD, they found a mechanism to just hibernate the RAM that is used, which would again mean a performance boost compared to a start from scratch (Intel rapid start).

So this is a reason that maybe speaks against the 16MB. Maybe something worth contemplating at least.

-helmut

[JohnS]

12 gig is just fine!!

[Rolling Estonian]

12 gig is just fine!!

I upped an 8gb to 12 and it is indeed just fine!

M

[JohnS]

Hi
The 12 gig Is my maximumum as i have an P6T Asus Motherboard which Is not exactly new
6x2 Ram cards

12 to 16 should be 100% for making music for the near future.
The big pros use 32 gig and upwards mainly for speed of getting things produced on time as they are on time schedules.

Being retired now I should make Top of the Flops!!!!

[Starship Krupa]

FWIW, I'm running a Windows 7/64 system with 6G of RAM and I never run into memory problems with Mixcraft 7, Vegas Pro 10 or anything else.

My bottleneck, to the extent that I have one, is processor power. My Core 2 Quad is adequate to the task, but there's not as much leeway as I would like.

Of course, as others have pointed out, it depends on what you are doing with Mixcraft. If you are loading huge sample libraries, then run Mixcraft 7 64 bit, and the more RAM the merrier.

If you use softsynths and other RAM frugal instruments, then it's no big deal.

If your projects are (like mine) largely audio, then it's no big deal. I currently have a project with 28 tracks of audio, and Mixcraft 32 bit is handling it just fine. If I try opening it, Mixcraft 64 bit chokes the processor because of all the 32-bit plug-ins I'm using.

My basis for these statements is observing Process Monitor while the programs are running. The system rarely gets above 3G memory usage, and hard faults (page file reads) are few and far between, usually only when I first load the project I might get one.

I am frankly too broke/frugal to buy any huge sample libraries, so I do not foresee a problem in the near future. If things changed, I would probably get a whole new computer.

[Mark Bliss]

So far, cant disagree with anything, just wanted to add a comment about the heat issue.

Based on my own experience, heavy use, larger audio projects, editing or even just watching video tutorials makes my laptop run pretty hot. Hot enough to burn you. And certainly hot enough to shorten some component life.
And that has little or nothing to do with additional RAM.

On more than one occasion it has spontaneously shut down due to some internal temperature sensing self protection mode.
I have one of those dual fan lap pads and it works quite well. At least well enough to reduce the first degree burns on my left leg anyway.

I am glad someone pointed out the hard drive performance issue, it definitely could be a performance barrier far before needing as much RAM as was asked about.

Another thing to consider is if you get one with less RAM and want to have the option to add more later, be aware of what the capacity is. Some are configured to allow limited amounts, and you dont want that to be a surprise later.

[Perennial Jive]

hey folks,

can somebody please explain what the sentence "to stream samples then 5400RPM doesn't cut it. You need 7200 RPM" means in laymans terms.....well more the "stream samples" part,does it pertain to using samples out of a sample library? i am on the verge of buying a new laptop and the lenovo y50 has great specs but its hard drive runs at 5400rpm.....i do use a lot of vsts and samples that i have built up over the last 4 years that i have been using mixcraft.

kind thanks!

[Rolling Estonian]

5400 and 7200 refer to the HDD speed. Recording to a separate drive is optimal and 7200 or a solid state drive is the way to go. I had a 5400 drive, replaced it with a SSD, and moved the 5400 to the cd rom bay to make it my D drive. Though not recommended, I record to my SSD. I'm just learning so it's enough for me but my next computer is going to be a beast! In a couple years i7 with 16gb ram and SSD will be old hat.

M

[Mark Bliss]

The difference between the HD speed ratings is related to read/write speeds.

When running complex projects the hard drive might be taxed by demands for quickly supplying many bits of data rapidly, and this is where a lower performance drive such as is common in typical laptops, can be problematic.

A common, but not exclusive example might be the use of a VSTi with many samples, or many layers of samples, but I suspect it could also be associated with a project with many audio files as well.

The bottom line is that in general, when high performance is required, a fast hard drive, (or combination of drives), is part of the package, and a typical laptop can fall short in this area.

[Perennial Jive]

thanks kindly for your advice,-was further wondering whether having 16GB RAM and a quad core would make a 5400rpm hard drive worthwhile as all of the 7200rpm laptops are at least 500 bucks more.

the laptop i am looking at is this one http://www.pcworld.ie/Product/lenovo-y5 ... 69/396.0.0

thank you!

[Mark Bliss]

I am pretty certain the conditions that reveal the chokepoint presented by the lower performance hard drive would still exist no matter how powerful the processor or how much RAM you have.
I think these problems and the expense involved in getting around them are the primary reasons most knowledgeable people discourage laptops for high performance DAW needs.
Its not that it cant work....... And with reasonable expectations a laptop works great. Its best to know the limitations before going that route however.
And I suspect a roll out of USB 3 might change some of that, eventually.