RAM stands for Random Access Memory.
In its simplest terms RAM is the working memory of your computer. It is like your brain’s short term memory. As your computer runs various tasks and processes, this RAM memory begins to fill up. This ‘now’ memory allows your computer to quickly and easily do multiple tasks while bringing the data you need quickly to you.
Of course like our own STM(short term memories) our computer’s RAM can only hold so much at a time. Keep in mind that many programs and processes may be running on your computer without you being actively aware and each of these programs utilizes a small portion of RAM to run.
So adding more RAM to your computer essentially means your computer has an increased short term memory and more processes and programs can use the ‘now’ memory to carry out your computer based activities. More RAM to you means your computer programs will run smoother, you can access information quicker and do more at once without your computer slowing down, freezing up, or crashing.
By adding RAM you are in a way increasing your computer’s speed and abilities by allowing more tasks to be done at once. You should also be aware that resetting or powering down your computer clears your RAM and when your computer starts up again it has full availability of its RAM. The longer your computer is on at a time and the number of programs you run at once will determine how quickly your RAM will fill up and be slowed down.
It is important to pick out the proper RAM for your computer as there are various types of RAM with designations as SODIMM; different mhz such as 667 (more common), and of course various levels of quality. RAM for laptops is generally different then RAM for desktops as well.
Determining how much RAM you need depends on your computer usage. If you use your computer mainly for light web browsing, email, and word processing 512mb of RAM should be sufficient. If you use your computer often and are doing heavy web browsing coupled with some photo editing, movie viewing, and music listening you’d be ok with 512mb but 1GB is recommended. 2GB is recommended if your doing video editing, audio editing/recording, and gaming. Obviously advanced gaming and professional video editing would do well with 3-4GB of RAM. But for the average computer user 512mb-1GB will be generally sufficient. 2GB is the max on many laptops and will ensure your laptop is able to run at peak performance for a few years.
In closing, adding RAM will have you cursing less at your computer as tasks and programs load faster, freezing and crashing occurs less, and overall your computer experience will be more enjoyable. There is no such thing as future proofing your computer so don’t worry about adding the most RAM you can hoping your computer will keep up with the newest and latest computers. Add RAM based on your needs and shop around for the best prices as many computer companies such as Apple tend to overcharge for RAM.
