Your computer needs RAM (short-term memory) to operate. Every time you click on a link to go to a website or play a video game, your computer moves data into and out of RAM.
RAM is made up of capacitors that constantly get filled and emptied of electricity. This makes it volatile, meaning that its data is lost when the computer shuts down.
What is RAM?
RAM is the short-term memory that helps your computer quickly access data for immediate processing. It works much like your own brain, where your memory stores information you need to remember until it can be retrieved later.
Without the right amount of RAM, your computer would have to spend much more time looking for data on long-term storage devices, which can take a lot longer than reading from RAM. RAM is also used by your processor and graphics card to perform computing tasks, so the more of it you have, the better your experience will be.
Your computer’s RAM uses a combination of transistors and capacitors to store an electric charge that corresponds to data bits. It originally used single data rate technology, but later types like DDR and now DDR5 use pulses of system clock to send data at twice the speed.
How much RAM do I need?
If you’re just browsing the web, using standard office programs and playing Solitaire, your computer probably doesn’t need a lot of RAM. But, if you frequently use multiple tabs in your browser or play resource-demanding games, 8GB is a good amount to start with.
If your workflow includes editing videos in Adobe Premiere Pro, photo editing in Photoshop or recording and composing audio, 32GB of RAM is ideal. Enthusiast gamers and professionals who rely on 3D rendering also need more.
Adding more RAM to your computer will help it run faster, but it’s not as simple as popping in a new stick and seeing significant improvements. It really depends on your computing habits and budget. Having enough RAM reduces the back-and-forth between your processor and SSD or HDD, which allows applications and games to respond faster.
How do I know if I need more RAM?
Insufficient RAM causes programs to slow down or run inconsistently, and videos and games may stutter or crash. Upgrading your computer’s RAM can help fix this problem and significantly improve performance.
To check your computer’s RAM, right-click the taskbar and select ‘Task Manager’. Look for the Performance tab, which should display how much RAM your system is using.
The first section, in green and labeled Active Memory, is the amount of RAM that programs are using to run. The second, in blue and labeled Free Memory, is the amount of RAM that Windows hasn’t allocated to a program yet. This is essentially wasted memory. If the third, in yellow and labeled Memory Pressure, is green or above, your computer has enough RAM to run its applications without issue.
What is VRAM?
VRAM stands for video random access memory and is a special arrangement of RAM used to store high-speed image data for use by graphics chips. It is often found on video card GPUs, and modern forms are typically of the GDDR5 or GDDR6 standard (with GDDR3 and GDDR5 preceding them).
The information stored in VRAM is then sent as a digital signal over an HDMI or display port to an older cathode ray tube or modern LED display. If the amount of data that needs to be processed exceeds the capacity of the video card’s onboard memory, performance will suffer and you may experience issues like blurry textures or frame drops.
VRAM usage is impacted by the resolution of a game’s textures, anti-aliasing settings and the depth buffer size. As the game’s texture resolution increases, so does the amount of VRAM required to render it.
How is VRAM different from RAM?
VRAM is similar to RAM, but it sits on your graphics card and focuses on image data. It’s especially important for games and creative applications that require a lot of graphical processing.
The two types of memory are connected by a bus, which is what allows them to work together. System RAM is in close proximity to the CPU, which makes it easy for it to access and transfer information. VRAM, on the other hand, isn’t as quick to move visual data from its own cache to your monitor, which can result in choppy games.
In addition to the speed difference, VRAM is also more expensive than DRAM. However, adding more of either type can help if you’re having performance issues. It just won’t solve all problems, such as slow processors or an old GPU.