If you’re thinking about building or upgrading a PC, memory is an important component to consider. The more memory you have, the faster your computer will run. However, not all RAM is the same and you’ll want to know a few things before you make your purchase.
RAM is temporary storage that gets wiped when you turn off your computer. It offers lightning-fast data access, which is ideal for the apps and processes that your CPU is currently working on. This includes the data that surfs web pages on your browser, for example.
When your computing tasks exceed the amount of RAM you have available, the computer has to begin shuffling data around between memory and your slower hard drive in order to accomplish the task at hand. This is known as thrashing and is a common cause for slowdowns.
As a result, it’s imperative that you have sufficient amounts of RAM to avoid slowdowns and crashes. For most home and office PCs, 8GB is plenty. However, gamers who demand professional-level performance should look for 16GB or more.
Like your processor, your memory has a clock speed which determines how much data it can handle per second. This is measured in megahertz (MHz). Other factors that affect speed include CL/CAS latency, which refers to the delay between your memory controller receiving a command from the CPU and your memory modules actually executing it; as well as timings like row precharge time and row active time. You’ll also need to decide whether you want ECC or non-ECC memory and if you require dual-channel or single-channel. PC memory