RAM acts as a device’s short-term memory, reading information it may need in the future and storing it for easy access by the CPU, graphics card, or other components. It stays available until you shut down or restart the system, then it’s cleared and ready to accept fresh data.
RAM can be soldered directly onto a motherboard or in replaceable modules called DIMMs. Laptops and mini PCs often use smaller, more compact SODIMM sticks.
What is RAM?
RAM is the short-term memory for your computer. It holds the information your computer needs to function, from the words you type to the position of your mouse cursor on screen. Without it, your PC would slow to a crawl and its processors would become overloaded trying to find all the data they need.
Like other components in your computer, RAM has its own internal clock that determines how much it can handle per second. The more RAM you have, the faster your system will run. But more RAM doesn’t always result in better performance, and it’s just as important to have faster RAM than you do more of it.
The Speccy tool allows you to get all the details about your RAM, including its manufacturer, form factor, and speed. These details are crucial when choosing the correct RAM for your specific computer based on its memory bandwidth requirements.
How does RAM work?
RAM is essentially your short-term memory. It stores the immediate data you need to open a program, surf the web or play a game. Without it, your computer would slow down.
When you ask your computer to perform a task, such as opening a photo for editing or loading a new enemy to fight in a video game, it must first retrieve the files from the slower hard drive and place them on its digital countertop in RAM. This is why the more RAM you have, the faster your computer runs.
The CPU can then work with the files in RAM at a much faster rate than it could on a hard drive. If the CPU needs more than what’s in RAM, it must pull data from storage or swap memory (a reserved area on storage for memory that gets bumped out of RAM). This takes time. If you’re noticing that your PC or Mac starts to run slowly, consider installing optimization software that clears wasteful background processes and other junk data to give your machine more RAM to work with.
How much RAM do I need?
Generally speaking, a standard laptop or desktop PC can get by with 8GB of RAM. But the best way to determine how much is needed depends on your needs and goals.
For example, if you’re just browsing the web and using basic programs, then 4GB might be enough for your system to operate smoothly. But if you’re going to be playing modern video games and editing videos, then you’ll probably need at least 16GB of RAM or more.
In many cases, the more RAM a computer has, the faster it will run. RAM isn’t expensive and it’s typically one of the simplest components to upgrade (though you can do so without paying a professional to install it for you). So if you’re looking for a great gaming or video editing experience, consider boosting your PC’s RAM. You’ll be glad you did. Just make sure you don’t go overboard and exceed the maximum capacity for your specific system.
What is VRAM?
VRAM is a type of memory that’s connected directly to your GPU instead of your motherboard. It acts as temporary storage for data devoted to graphics rendering, meaning that your video card can make use of it instantly without the slow process of swapping it from system RAM.
There are a few different types of VRAM on the market. The most common is GDDR, with the latest version being GDDR6 and Nvidia’s exclusive RTX VRAM that uses a proprietary memory controller. SGRAM is another option that’s more efficient, with the advantage of being clock-synchronized to reduce latency.
VRAM has become a hot topic as the highest-resolution games have grown to require massive amounts of it to function properly. This is partly because higher resolutions require larger frames, but also because of techniques like MIPmapping & bounding volume hierarchies that help optimize ray tracing for performance. Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate this issue without having to buy a new GPU.