2 GB of RAM and Integrated Graphics are enough to run Vista comfortably. My Acer Laptop has the integrated chipset, with 2 GB of RAM and it runs just fine. That's with a 1.5 GHZ Dual Core Pentium too. Do you actually run Vista or what?
Hmm. I don't buy them but I have dealt with them. And I've seen at least 3 go bad in JUST over a year. By go bad I mean the mainboard or oboard video knocks out. Not emachines fault I suppose, but suspect nevertheless. The only PC I'd actually recommend a warranty on.
yeah I run vista ultimate 64 bit instead of agrueing let me ask if you have areo or any of the eyecandy vista has cause with that 2gb isn't enough. With out it I'll take you word for seeing as the only other machine I could test it on at the moment is my 2g surf eeepc and yes it might it but it would rather not :^D
I also run Vista 64bit on 3 separate machines. My htpc has only 2gb of ram, and runs the areo interface (along with all the other "candy") just fine. Don't act like vista is such a huge resource hog that 2gb of ram isn't enough. It is enough for the perfectly average consumer and then some.
I run 1080p graphics on the integrated video on the htpc as well, no issues there. Visualizations, MKV's, COD4, all run great!
If you read into it, the $299 machine comes with Vista Basic, so no need to dog on that one either.
x64 also utilises more ram than 32-bit version if I'm not mistaken. Vista and Aero will run fine on even 1GB. My brothers ageing x2 3800+ with Home Premium can still play the latest games on his 8600GT with medium settings. Just 1GB of RAM does the trick. He's had it installed for well over 1 year and hasn't needed to reformat for any reason. Couldn't say the same about XP though! Vista FTW.
You don't need more than 2GB of RAM to run Vista comfortably. It's all I've got, and I've never ran into problems running anything I've wanted to. I could see 1GB getting difficult, but 2 is all you really need, especially if you're getting a boring low-end PC.
1GB RAM is fine for Vista without Aero. @kal: Apple doesn't just make things in white plastic anymore. MacBook, AirPort, and iPhone 3G are the only white plastic products if I'm not mistaken. The rest are anodized aluminum.
@RC: Exactly. These machines are not and never were meant to be gaming machines that need tons of GPU power and RAM. These are meant to be basic, simple desktop machines and nothing more.
I bought an eMachine PC several months ago because it actually cost less than building my own, even with the most basic configuration (AMD X2 4000+, 160 GB hard drive, and DVD burner) + a legitimate Vista license. It's sole purpose is a podcasting workstation to do the recording, editing, and encoding. In that sigle capacity, the PC works fine, even though I did need to bump the RAM to 2 GB because Vista by itself takes up SIX HUNDRED F**KING MB OF RAM!!!! (WTF, Microsoft??!!!)
Everyone who condemns eMachines for being low-end PCs needs to just shut the hell up. It's like condemning a chihuahua for being small. eMachines are meant to be low end machines, and as far as I'm concerned they do the job well.
Expecting gaming-quality speed and power out of an eMachines PC is like expecting 200 miles per hour out of a Geo Metro. It's not going to happen out of the box, so stop complaining about it.
Vista will always appear to use a lot of RAM because SuperFetch is constantly loading and unloading programs in the background based on when and how often you use them. As soon as you launch a program SuperFetch dumps whatever is not being used and allocates memory where it's needed.
My system almost always uses a gigabyte of memory at any given time, whether it's idling or running 18 Firefox tabs, WMP, and WoW all at the same time.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
RC @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:12AM
Vista will run fine on them. More reliable than your opinion!
DefPo3t @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:21AM
vista on 1gb or 2 gb and intergrated graphics. WTF are you smoking
Matt Keller @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:37AM
2 GB of RAM and Integrated Graphics are enough to run Vista comfortably. My Acer Laptop has the integrated chipset, with 2 GB of RAM and it runs just fine. That's with a 1.5 GHZ Dual Core Pentium too. Do you actually run Vista or what?
Neoprimal @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:38AM
Hmm. I don't buy them but I have dealt with them. And I've seen at least 3 go bad in JUST over a year. By go bad I mean the mainboard or oboard video knocks out. Not emachines fault I suppose, but suspect nevertheless. The only PC I'd actually recommend a warranty on.
DefPo3t @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:45AM
yeah I run vista ultimate 64 bit instead of agrueing let me ask if you have areo or any of the eyecandy vista has cause with that 2gb isn't enough. With out it I'll take you word for seeing as the only other machine I could test it on at the moment is my 2g surf eeepc and yes it might it but it would rather not :^D
rock99rock @ Jul 2nd 2008 11:13AM
@DefPo3t
I also run Vista 64bit on 3 separate machines. My htpc has only 2gb of ram, and runs the areo interface (along with all the other "candy") just fine. Don't act like vista is such a huge resource hog that 2gb of ram isn't enough. It is enough for the perfectly average consumer and then some.
I run 1080p graphics on the integrated video on the htpc as well, no issues there. Visualizations, MKV's, COD4, all run great!
If you read into it, the $299 machine comes with Vista Basic, so no need to dog on that one either.
r3loaded @ Jul 2nd 2008 11:17AM
@DefPo3t
What is it with you and constantly repeating that line? Besides, Vista runs fine on my Jan 2003 desktop with 1Gb of RAM.
To summarise: WTF are YOU smoking that you have the urge to post so much on a fairly boring article?
Daza @ Jul 2nd 2008 11:44AM
x64 also utilises more ram than 32-bit version if I'm not mistaken. Vista and Aero will run fine on even 1GB. My brothers ageing x2 3800+ with Home Premium can still play the latest games on his 8600GT with medium settings. Just 1GB of RAM does the trick. He's had it installed for well over 1 year and hasn't needed to reformat for any reason. Couldn't say the same about XP though! Vista FTW.
Citrico @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:56PM
You don't need more than 2GB of RAM to run Vista comfortably. It's all I've got, and I've never ran into problems running anything I've wanted to. I could see 1GB getting difficult, but 2 is all you really need, especially if you're getting a boring low-end PC.
perfectionist @ Jul 2nd 2008 4:10PM
1GB RAM is fine for Vista without Aero.
@kal: Apple doesn't just make things in white plastic anymore. MacBook, AirPort, and iPhone 3G are the only white plastic products if I'm not mistaken. The rest are anodized aluminum.
John B @ Jul 2nd 2008 5:41PM
@RC: Exactly. These machines are not and never were meant to be gaming machines that need tons of GPU power and RAM. These are meant to be basic, simple desktop machines and nothing more.
I bought an eMachine PC several months ago because it actually cost less than building my own, even with the most basic configuration (AMD X2 4000+, 160 GB hard drive, and DVD burner) + a legitimate Vista license. It's sole purpose is a podcasting workstation to do the recording, editing, and encoding. In that sigle capacity, the PC works fine, even though I did need to bump the RAM to 2 GB because Vista by itself takes up SIX HUNDRED F**KING MB OF RAM!!!! (WTF, Microsoft??!!!)
Everyone who condemns eMachines for being low-end PCs needs to just shut the hell up. It's like condemning a chihuahua for being small. eMachines are meant to be low end machines, and as far as I'm concerned they do the job well.
Expecting gaming-quality speed and power out of an eMachines PC is like expecting 200 miles per hour out of a Geo Metro. It's not going to happen out of the box, so stop complaining about it.
Jordan @ Jul 3rd 2008 5:04PM
John B,
Vista will always appear to use a lot of RAM because SuperFetch is constantly loading and unloading programs in the background based on when and how often you use them. As soon as you launch a program SuperFetch dumps whatever is not being used and allocates memory where it's needed.
My system almost always uses a gigabyte of memory at any given time, whether it's idling or running 18 Firefox tabs, WMP, and WoW all at the same time.