but..is 32MB RAM...enough...?

[stress_bob]

Is 32MB of RAM work well enough? I can't find any other Pocket PC's with 32MB's of RAM, has anyone with the Basic axim gotten annoyed by anything?

[Kati Compton]

The amount of RAM needed depends on how you use it. Many people probably never run out of room with 32MB. On the other hand, a lot of the users here add memory in the form of flash cards, and still don't have enough room. It's not a question that can be definitively answered for everyone the same way.

PS - I've changed your post title to something more descriptive to what you're talking about. Descriptive titles really help in getting the post read by the people that can answer your questions.

[nosmohtac]

As Kati said, it is really an individual issue.
I myself would never go for a 32MB PPC, when so many of them are available with 64MB for around the same price. The Dell Axim is IMO an awesome entry in to the PPC arena, but if you buy the basic axim (32MB of RAM, 32MB of ROM, slower processor) you think your saving $100, but the basic doesn't come with the beautifully designed cradle. If you order one for you Axim Basic, you will pay $40. This cradle comes with the Axim Advanced, so your net savings is $60.

If you don't want a PDA for much more than the PIM features, then 32MB may be more than enough for you, but as is the case with many products today, if you buy the basic model you find yourself wishing you had splurged a little.

Which PDA were you looking at buying?

[Kevin C. Tofel]

If you order one for you Axim Basic, you will pay $40. This cradle comes with the Axim Advanced, so your net savings is $60.

Agree with the above posts and if you decide 32Mg isn't enough you'll tack on another $30 to $60 for another 128Mg to 256Mg of CF storage....more if you go with the SD memory.....there goes your savings and you now have a device that is 25% slower than the Advanced model due to the 300Mhz vs. 400Mhz processor. :(

I think the decision really comes down to what will you use the device for? I'd make a list of what you definitely plan to use it for and what you might use it for in the future.....that information should drive the decision on device specifications. You could always post that list here and get opinions as well.

One final thought that applies to any device (PC, PPC, etc....): you can NEVER have too much RAM!

Good luck!

KCT

PS = Just noticed all of your time stamps.....you people need to get some sleep!! :D

[PetiteFlower]

It's enough, but I still wish I had more :)

[hockeydude]

I just got an Axim Basic, and I find it to have plenty of memory for what I need. I use it a lot for gaming and WiFi and all I do is store all my games and other Programs on either my 64MB SD Card or If im not using WiFi I use a 256 MB CF Card. That way I can leave all my System memory open for the Programs to Run. I thought about this a lot before I bought my Axim and relized that I just didnt really need the extra 32MB or 100mhz. I bought the Cradle extra which was like $20 and with the money I would have spent for the Advanced model, I got an Accidental Damage Warranty and an Extra Battery! So Far I am very happy! :D But like all the rest said, it just depends on what you use it for.

[dean_shan]

PS = Just noticed all of your time stamps.....you people need to get some sleep!! :D

They could be in a different time zone. It somtimes makes me look like I'm up all night because I am -9 GMT

[PetiteFlower]

PS = Just noticed all of your time stamps.....you people need to get some sleep!! :D

lol, did you happen to notice that your time stamp says 5:03 am?

The time stamps used to be customized for whatever time zone your computer was set to but Jason changed it over a few months ago so that they reflect US(and Canadian) Central time, no matter where the user is...I forget what the reason was.

[jake080]

PS = Just noticed all of your time stamps.....you people need to get some sleep!! :D

They could be in a different time zone. It somtimes makes me look like I'm up all night because I am -9 GMT

Yeah, for me it says that you, Kevin, posted that reply which you added that about the time, at 4:something AM!!!
just thought youd like to know :wink:

[Steven Cedrone]

Topic...

Please get back on topic... :wink:

Steven Cedrone
Community Moderator

[drop]

Even 64MB RAM is not enough for me. I have most of my apps in SD. But I have 5 Today plug-in active and usually multiple apps running simultaneously. 64MB is just not enough. Too bad PPCTech is not doing the 128MB RAM upgrade anymore on the Axim. I want more, more, more. 0X

[stress_bob]

Ok i'm confused, everytime I ask if "32 MB RAM is enough?" people always tell me to buy a SD or CF Card, but RAM is Random access Memory right? So how would buying more ROM help my programs run faster?? :bangin:

[Kati Compton]

Ok i'm confused, everytime I ask if "32 MB RAM is enough?" people always tell me to buy a SD or CF Card, but RAM is Random access Memory right? So how would buying more ROM help my programs run faster?? :bangin:
They won't. But the RAM in the PPC also doubles as storage. Many people choose to use a memory card instead to get a greater amount of storage. For example, rather than loading your 32MB of RAM with only 5 MP3s, you can instead get a large memory card and use that to hold data like MP3s. People may also be telling you that even if you get the 32MB unit, you can still add more "memory" to it through flash cards--it's not a dead-end. These cards (SD, CF) are Flash RAM, not ROM, btw.

Actually, the one way it can help your programs run "better" is that if you use the storage card for the majority of files, freeing up RAM. When the amount of free RAM gets low, performance can suffer.

[PetiteFlower]

SD and CF cards are not RAM or ROM, they are Flash memory, different.

[maximus]

In a way, SD/CFs are flash RAM (Random Access Memory -- a type of memory that you can read and write randomly) ... the word 'random' is to distinguish these types of memory against 'sequential' type of memory (like magnetic tapes, etc.).

[Kumori]

Hi all,

I am also deciding between the 300mhz and 400mhz Axim. I am planning on getting a CF card for 802.11b and a Secure Digital card, don't know what size yet. I am wondering if this set of apps would run fine with the lower-end model:

Pocket Quicken
eBook reader (don't know which one)
PIE

In addition, I want to play mp3's and have a couple small videos of my kid on it. The only multitasking I see myself using the PPC for is listening to mp3's while I use one of the other apps.

Thanks for any replies!

Barron

[Kati Compton]

All of that should run fine at 300MHz from what I've heard (though I have no personal experience with this). I think it's more when you get into watching video and using emulators that there's a "problem".

[Numsquat]

I have a Basic. I really don't have a problem with the 32MG RAM. I run most of my programs off of a 256MG SD card and have two 256MG CF cards for video, music and such. My RAM varies between 10-15MB, depending on the amount of files and emails, so I usually have about half free for running programs. I do surf the internet using wifi and have filled the memory a couple of times during some serious surfing.

Given the choice (which I didn't have) I would have gotten the Advance though. I would rather have RAM I wasn't using than wish I had more.

[deich]

Yea, a memory card is not RAM. While RAM literally stands for "Random Access", that's been a misnomer for a long time. You can load programs into a memory card instead of RAM, which will free up some RAM. But every open program plus it's data has to fit into RAM before it can run. If you really want more than 32M of RAM, the memory cards can't expand the RAM. That's why I bought the big Ax with 64M. But, truth be told, I don't use it. Every time I check my RAM, I have more than 32M free.

You're right, most other PDA's have more than 32M RAM, but most of them also load the OS to RAM before doing anything. Dell has that beautiful "execute in place" Strata-flash for it's ROM. That gives you almost the full 32M of RAM for your use. That means a brand "X" with 48M RAM probably has as much working storage space as the Ax with 32M RAM.

One final point. The big Ax has more flash memory. I store a couple of big programs in Flash (dictionary and Acrobat viewer). It's like having a small extra memory card buried inside the Ax.

No matter what you decide, it's hard to come up a loser.

[Kati Compton]

Yea, a memory card is not RAM. While RAM literally stands for "Random Access", that's been a misnomer for a long time. You can load programs into a memory card instead of RAM, which will free up some RAM.
I wouldn't say that's true... Flash RAM is still RAM AFAIK. It's just not "Main Memory", which is where the code probably needs to be loaded (from Flash RAM if necessary) in order to execute.

[maximus]

Hi all,

I am also deciding between the 300mhz and 400mhz Axim. I am planning on getting a CF card for 802.11b and a Secure Digital card, don't know what size yet.



My suggestion is to get the 400mhz model. Net difference is only $60, if you substract the price of the cradle.

In addition, I want to play mp3's and have a couple small videos of my kid on it.

Ah, video playing works best at 400 mhz.