Mushkin is one of the two manufacturers that have designed 4GB memory kits running at 1066MHz and the Mushkin XPS2-8500 4GB kit is the current flagship. So far, 2GB modules and 4GB memory kits are quite expensive and the question many are asking is if you really need those extra 2GB of RAM. At TweakTown they’ve taken a closer look at the Mushkin XPS2-8500 4GB memory kit and focus on the performance you have to gain from 4GB, compared to 2GB, in Windows XP x64. With most regular benchmarks the difference is quite small, but you can tell a big difference in loading times and similar.
The tests are under Windows XP, which have much lower requirements than Windows Vista. A number of people in our staff have been running Windows Vista for a while and 2GB RAM feels like a necessity, more than just a recommendation for Vista. There are more than a few times a day when you runt into performance issues due to the lack of enough RAM. Windows Vista and the effect of 4GB RAM is something we’re going to take a closer look at up ahead, but if it’s worth the extra cost today is really up to you.
