How many Chrome tabs can you open with 2TB RAM?

In this video, Linus Tech Tips explores the practical limits of RAM by attempting to run two terabytes of memory in a desktop workstation and then testing how many Chrome tabs can be opened before the system becomes unusable. The host explains the hardware approach, including the use of load reduced (LR) DIMMs to reach high memory density without sacrificing too much memory controller efficiency. Early on, they justify the choice of components, such as SK Hynix memory and the Gold S31 SSD as the boot drive, and discuss the implications of memory ranks, latency, and speed on overall performance. Once the system is booted into Windows 10 Pro with the ambitious memory configuration, they begin the tab-opening experiment and observe how RAM usage and CPU load behave as the tab count climbs. The test reveals that Chrome will consume substantial memory and that, while hundreds of tabs load without immediate catastrophe, the interface becomes progressively less responsive, culminating in an architectural limit where thousands of tabs are no longer practically usable. The video concludes with reflections on the limits of software and hardware in handling extreme memory configurations, and celebrates the sponsor SK Hynix while suggesting practical takeaways for enthusiasts and professionals considering high-RAM setups. The first portion of the video delves into the rationale and technical groundwork for achieving two terabytes of RAM. The crew explains memory architecture concepts such as ranks, dual rank versus quad rank modules, and the purpose of LR DIMMs in enabling higher density. They discuss the trade-offs involved, including latency penalties and how workloads that require enormous memory pools can justify these costs. The segment emphasizes that the goal is to showcase the boundary conditions of current consumer and server hardware, rather than to deliver a ready-made productivity workstation for everyday tasks. This portion also covers boot-time realities, like memory training, and confirms that Windows 10 Pro supports up to two terabytes of installed RAM. The tone remains instructional, with a nod to the engineering feats required to assemble and configure such a system. In the middle section, the team begins the Chrome tab test in earnest, starting with a few dozen tabs and gradually increasing to higher counts. They report RAM usage figures, noting that Chrome can use over 100 GB of RAM and that CPU usage climbs as more tabs are opened. The experiment highlights the non-linear relationship between tab count and performance; even with available RAM, the system slows down, tabs intermittently reload, and overall responsiveness degrades. The crew documents real-time observations, such as a dramatic slowdown when rearranging tabs, a tab reloading behavior, and occasional freezes during playback of an ad. The narrative builds toward a practical conclusion about the limits of current software and hardware when faced with extreme memory scenarios, illustrating that there is a point at which the OS and browser architecture cannot maintain a usable experience despite ample physical memory. Overall, the video delivers a thorough, technically grounded look at extreme RAM configurations and their impact on everyday software like Chrome. It blends hardware explanations with live testing, providing concrete numbers for memory usage and performance at various tab counts, and it ends with a measured takeaway about the current boundaries of hardware-assisted multitasking. The sponsor segment reinforces SK Hynix’s role in enabling the test and points viewers toward high-performance storage options for similarly ambitious builds, rounding out a holistic exploration of what two terabytes of RAM can and cannot do in practice.

Topics · Technology · Computing · Hardware · Science & Technology · Performance testing