# RPI 5 4GB or 8GB

**URL:** <https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/rpi-5-4gb-or-8gb/9800>\
**Category:** Hardware\
**Created:** [July 9, 2024, 9:02am UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/rpi-5-4gb-or-8gb/9800 "2024-07-09T09:02:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stojos](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/stojos/32/10833_2.png) [@stojos](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/stojos)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 9:02am UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/rpi-5-4gb-or-8gb/9800/1 "2024-07-09T09:02:59Z")

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I could not find any recent discussion in regards of zynthian memory usage. My current snapshot is less than 2GB.

Is there any reason to buy rpi 5 8GB version ?

Difference between rpi 5 4GB and 8GB is almost 20£.

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**Author:** ![riban](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/riban/32/2331_2.png) [@riban](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/riban)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 9:19am UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/rpi-5-4gb-or-8gb/9800/2 "2024-07-09T09:19:48Z")

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Zynthian will run fine with 4GB. I prefer to get the larger RAM because it may prove advantageous in the future or if I repurpose the RPi.

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**Author:** ![le51](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/le51/32/1706_2.png) [@le51](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/le51)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 9:38am UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/rpi-5-4gb-or-8gb/9800/3 "2024-07-09T09:38:46Z")

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I wonder if using a ramdisk of say 2Gb could be usefull for storing snapshots, soundfonts etc in term of speed access ?

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**Author:** ![Baggypants](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/baggypants/32/1911_2.png) [@Baggypants](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/Baggypants)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/rpi-5-4gb-or-8gb/9800/4 "2024-07-09T20:25:41Z")

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Loading those ultrahuge multi GiB sfz files they have on [pianobook.co.uk](http://pianobook.co.uk), thats’s about it.

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**Author:** ![Baggypants](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/baggypants/32/1911_2.png) [@Baggypants](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/Baggypants)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/rpi-5-4gb-or-8gb/9800/5 "2024-07-09T20:28:12Z")

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Better checking out [ZRAM swap alternative](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/zram-swap-alternative/3722) which was enabled, but I can’t remember if it still is.

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**Author:** ![le51](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/le51/32/1706_2.png) [@le51](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/le51)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 9:40pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/rpi-5-4gb-or-8gb/9800/6 "2024-07-09T21:40:01Z")

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```auto
root@oramPi4://zynthian# free                                                   
               total used free shared buff/cache available
Mem: 3883056 1161384 1954356 113992 979524 2721672
Swap: 0 0 0    

```

So, no, no swap or even zram swap are enabled.  
I’ve (re) read the post you’ve linked, and I found the point of @jofemodo I was remebering about swap.

> [@Baggypants](#):
>
> Loading those ultrahuge multi GiB sfz files they have on [pianobook.co.uk](http://pianobook.co.uk), thats’s about it.

Yeah, that was my thought: preloading some huge files in a fast read access storage support. But, as huge files needs (I guess, but it seems logical to me) lots of “computing” before they get ready, I’m not sure if there is any benefit to proceed like that.

[pianobook.co.uk](http://pianobook.co.uk) : oh this looks like an interesting resource to explore, thanks.