[redwoodmists]

Alright, here's a simple (stupid) question for all you computer wiz's out there.

About how much, in theory, does adding more RAM to your computer system improve its performance with FFXI? For example, let's say I had 256 MB DDR originally and was going to put another stick in there for a grand total of 512 MB DDR.

How greatly would this improve my computer in running the game?

[Rubik]

Video Card > All for FFXI.

If I remember correctly, the accepted order is

Video Card > Processor > Memory

Up to a certain point, adding more memory will help, but if you are bottlenecking elsewhere, what's the point?

[poweryoga]

ram always helps. however if you have like 32 mg gphx card its not going to help much.

[Rones]

Speed of your ram plays a major role. 512 mb of 400 mhz ram > 1024 mb of 166 mhz ram.

I've always found FFXI to heavily dependent on the processor rather than video card. I had a friend using a 1.8 ghz processor with radion 9800 pro and scored decently on the ffxi benchmark, but my other friend using a 2.4 ghz processor and ti 4200 video card just blew up the test with his better processor and weaker video card.

This was confirmed again when I upgraded my processor to an amd 64 as my performance in game nearly trippled (compared to my old 1.4 ghz amd) despite only having a gforce 2 at the time. :sweat: Later I upgraded the video card to a 5800 fx ultra with only modest improvements.

[hamiko]

yea I noticed too, ffxi is , CPU>Video Card>RAM, that's why I bought a better video card and only another stick of 128mb of RAM, so now I have 256mb of RAM and my video card and CPu are just fine(ati 9600, and p4 1.6Ghz) so I suggest if you have a weak video card and a decent CPU. upgrade the video card(unless you have like 128mb of ram)

[Arctyc]

About how much, in theory, does adding more RAM to your computer system improve its performance

Too many variables to answer this right off the bat like that.

A computer is a digital system, which means that it operates on clocked electronic signals streaming through different components. The way these are linked makes various more or less linear paths along the "computing pathway", each which operate at certain speeds.

How does this apply? Well, the computer can only go so fast before it needs to let the slowest part "catch up". This is a chokepoint. If you add more RAM but your Motherboard's Main Bus is the chokepoint, you will only see minimal performance increase.

FFXI is both CPU and GPU intensive. More RAM helps, but if you have a sufficient amount to avoid extensive Hard Drive Paging (512 MB or more in an XP system would be best), you would get more benefit out of increasing the computing capacity of your Video Card or Mainboard (Processor).

[Funguwari]

If you can't get a new processor; cool it down!

I put on a new layer of thermal grease. I also bought myself a better heatsink and a fan!

FFXI is dependent on the processor. These little upgrades will help a lot!

[gotan25x]

My specs are:

1.5ghz amd athlon xp pro
512 ddr ram
and Geforce FX 5200 256mb (PCI)

The gfx card only cost me $100 even, but it did help my gameplay alot. With these specs, if i play on the highest possible settings under every option, i only get a little skippage when my camera is pointing to the tops of alota trees, like right out side San Doria, if my camera is at a point where it shows all the leaves moving is when i skip. Or if theres an incredible amount of people or fighting, like in an alliance linkshell garrison battle.
Im planning to get more ram, near one gig if i can to eliminate the skipping.

[Elesirdur]

Given that FFXI was designed for a closed architecture system on the PS2, heavy CPU reliance doesn't surprise me. When I upgraded to a GeForce FX5900 from a Ti4200 a few months ago, I noticed I could run FFXI at higher resolutions, but nothing drastic when it came to speed improvements.