How much RAM for StarCraft 2?

[Bribe]

At home I use an Eee PC with 2GB of RAM running Windows 7 Starter (32bit OS).

At work I use an iMac with 4GB of RAM running OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard (also 32bit).

During maximum RAM load at work, I consistently break 2GB. However, during maximum load at home, which involves actually MORE applications, I never exceed 1GB of RAM on the Eee PC - this is with War3 running with the editor running, too, and I'm using integrated graphics which taxes the RAM even more. The work computer has a dedicated graphics card so it shouldn't be loading up copious amounts of video cache into the RAM either.

I have heard that having the SC2 editor + SC2 open at the same time can tax the RAM up to 2-3 GB just on their own. Yet I hear a lot of people saying 4GB of RAM is more than enough for SC2.

So I am building a computer next year to be running Windows 7 64bit, and am trying to decide if I should go with 8GB of RAM or if 4GB of RAM is sufficient and I can save some hard earned $$. What do you guys recommend to me based on your experiences?

Edit: Seems from what other peoples' experiences so far, it looks like 4GB running JUST the editor and the game is already a stretch. I don't want to have to watch my task manager all the time, so I'd rather just bite the bullet and get 8GB of RAM. It's not even twice the price anyway, so might as well do it. Would still appreciate some feedback from some of you guys though...

 

[Dr Super Good]

4GB is more than enough to use the editor and the game with reasonable performance. The editor uses under half the memory of the main game and the main game should never exceed more than 1 and a bit GB with a complex map.

6 or 8 GB will only give you better performance when it comes to the file cache. 4 GB might have to start clearing the file cache if a complex map is loaded in both at the same time which causes a degrade in load performance due to hard file faults. For most maps this should not really be a problem.

 

[Bribe]

I will use an SSD, so allowing it to pagefile is not really a prospect. 6GB of RAM is also a difficult target as the i3-2100 only supports dual-channel RAM, and I don't like the idea of mixing so the toss is really between 4 and 8 gigs DDR3 at 1333MHz (the fastest RAM supported by the 2100).

But if typical loads see the editor and the game (simultaneously) using less than a 2 gigs of RAM, it may be an interesting option. Though I have also read that if one tends to surpass 50% of their RAM regularly then it is recommended to double the RAM, and it seems inevitable that 8 gigs of RAM is going to be necessary if I plan to do it without being completely anal about the task manager.

 

[Karawasa]

Get 8 GB of RAM. If you want your computer to be relevant for a decent amount of time that is. As you mentioned, 8 GB will inevitably be necessary (and sooner than later).

Why are you going for the i3-2100? You should get an i5.

It's the older generation but I highly recommend the i5-750. Best processor ever. I was able to overclock it 50%; yes 50 fucking percent with only a $15 cooling solution.

Don't skimp on the graphics either.

 

[Bribe]

That's the thinking I had as well, however the benchmarks on the sandy bridge i3 are very very good. If you are always comparing it to better stuff from Intel yes it has its shortcomings, obviously as it's a cheaper CPU. However those limits are totally unrealistic and the truth is the i3 has a very high satisfaction rate, draws little energy to do it, and can game just fine.