What is RAM? What does it mean? How much should I allocate for my computer?
RAM stands for random access memory. This is the main storage space in your computer. The amount of RAM you have determines how much data you can store at once.
You can increase the size of your RAM using a variety of methods. For example, you can add more RAM modules or upgrade to faster RAM chips.
When it is time to shop for a new computer, the majority of computer systems on the market will give the CPU followed by the amount of RAM (random access memory) or sometimes it is called system memory. In regards to the specifications of a computer it is important to look at RAM in two ways- you need to consider the quantity and the type of RAM you are looking for.
Does adding RAM increase speed?
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. This type of memory is used to store data temporarily. The amount of RAM you have determines how much information you can access at once.
Adding RAM increases speed because it allows you to run multiple programs at once. If you want to see the effect of adding RAM, try running two or three programs simultaneously.
How much RAM should I add to my PC?
The amount of memory (RAM) you add to your computer depends on the type of programs you run. If you play games or watch movies, you'll want at least 8GB of RAM. If you only use your computer for word processing, email, web browsing and other basic tasks, you might get away with 4GB.
You can also upgrade your RAM from time to time. For example, if you notice your system running slower after adding new apps, you can always increase the amount of RAM.
how to know which ram to buy
In order to know how much RAM your computer will need, you will first need to consider the kind of software you will be using. For each software application you wish to use as well as the OS, read what the minimum requirements are as well as the recommended requirements. This is a good place to start. It is advisable to have more RAM then what each software application specifies as is the highest minimum and you should also have at least what is listed as the highest recommended requirement if not more.
As a basic guideline, a system that will work but will do the very minimum required of it needs 256MB; in order to functional but at a slightly higher than the former but still at a minimal level you will need 512MB while to work at an optimal level it is wise to buy a computer with 1GB of memory whereas the best level to be at would be to have 2GB of RAM or more. These are general guidelines only based on how much RAM is required for this task and that. Not all operating systems need the same quantity of memory so it is essential to carefully check how much memory every kind of software you wish to run will need and then make your decision from there.
The type of memory you choose fro your computer is every bit as important as the amount. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Currently there are two different types of memory on the market and thee include DDR and DDR2. In the past there were RDRAM and SDRAM modules used but these are both old and outdated and therefore should be avoided. Both types of memory have a speed that is connected to the amount of RAM that is included. From slowest speeds to fastest speeds there is DDR 333 MHz (also referred to as PC2700), DDR2 400MHz (PC2-3200), DDR 400MHz (PC3200), DDR2 533 MHz (PC2-4200), DDR2 667 MHz (PC2-5300) and finally, DDR2 800 MHz (PC2-6400).
It is important to note that the above speeds are relative approximations to the “theoretical bandwidths of each type of memory at its given clock speed when compared to another.” Each computer system can only make use of one type of memory.
The very first type of RAM to come out was the EDO RAM and this appears in Pentium computers after the 486 computers were big. Then after that came RDRAM which was costly but also the best RAM to purchase in the 1990s but this type of Ram lost much of its power around the year 2002 when DDR Ram first made its appearance. It is relevant to note that the SDRAM and the DDR RAM are extremely similar to one another. However it is not possible to replace one form of RAM such as the DDR RAM with SD RAM because the slots for both are very different. The most up to date RAM is presently DDR2, which has 240 pins. On the other hand SDRAM (or Single DATA RAM) has 168 pins while the DDR SDRAM (or Double Date Rate Ram) has 184 pins. Finally the SO-DIMM DDR RAM comes with 200 pins.
