upgrading default memory in XPS 700

No  you really wont see much difference in system performance. If you were to replace the mem i would just get two 1gig sticks...vice 4 512's

DomK -- It really depends on what you do with your system. Take a look at your Task Manager on the Performance Tab under the Physical Memory (K) section. Here is an example of my computer:

 

 

Currently, I am watching TV using MCE (former PM of Pakistan, Bhutto has been assassinated), have Folding@Home SMP running, Outlook 2003 open, IE7 open with a few tabs open, and then various other minor background programs. In my case, if you do the math, I am currently using over 1GB of RAM. As such, it is advantageous for me to have 2GB total. This gives me the breathing room to run the programs I am running and not see a significant detriment to performance.

 

I would recommend loading up what is normal for you, and see how close you are to your available memory. If you're getting close to less than 256MB of available memory, if may be worth while to upgrade.

 

Also, as Devet50 said, 2x1GB is perhaps preferable to 4x512, but for me, only because it reduces the number of components and thus fewer things to go bad and fewer things to rule out in case of problems.

cheers for that guys.  I guess I don't notice the system being too slow - the main part it seems slow sometimes is when it's booting up and displaying the desktop.

 

I use it mainly for gaming and occasionally editing videos on movie maker.

your current memory is really 667 mhz speed ..the next step is 800mhz then 1066mhz. The best bang for the buck would be to get all 800mhz mem the PC 6400 stuff...you could by two 1 gig sticks and then 2 512 sticks to get you up to 3 gig or just go with the 2 gigs and see how it runs...

I only have 2 gigs in mine and do video editing also and notice no lags or slowdowns....

If you were to keep your current mem and add the 800 mhz mem the whole mem would then run at the slowest speed or 667 mhz.

slow boot ups are usually cause by loading a lot of programs at start up..especially antivirus and firewall suites like norton and Mcafee...

Heres a link to a neat little program called autoruns  that will let you see everthing that is running on your sys and allow you to choose if you want them to run or not..

 

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

 

Of course like Cad pointed out the more mem you can have the better your system will run if multitasking or like you use yours for editing video...i would recommend that you think about possibly going to 3 gigs if your budget will allow....

so would I see much difference in replacing teh current 2 gb sticks with 2 new 6400 1gb sticks ?

thanks for the link.  So should I keep the 2x 1gb kingston sticks that came with it and get 2x512 sticks to go in the other slots ?

 

When I went on the Crucial website and did a system scan it told me to put 2x1gb sticks in the free slots but I have read there is no point putting in 4gb as I run 32 bit XP OS.

 

Also the memory that came with it is 4300 speed - I was wondering if I should get some new faster speed memory - eg 6400 ?  Or would that not make much difference ?

 

So I see my options as :

 

1.  Keep the 2x1gb in there at the moment and add 2x1gb 6400 sticks

 

2. Replace the 2x1gb that is in there with 2x1gb sticks and 2x512 sticks of 6400 speed.

 

Am I right ?  Which would be best ?  cheers

I've got a E6600 2.4Ghz 1066FSB 4MB cache.

 

 

you would most likely see a 10-15% increas in performance but here again what processore are you running...that could then become the next performance degrader...but overall you proably wouldnt see the difference unless you started to run multiple apps at once...

then you will be good to go..shouldn't be an issue with the processor...