Buying RAM for a laptop or computer involves various factors. Choose the right RAM with the help of these tips and make your device work efficiently.
Buying RAM for your device can be a difficult task. You have to consider various elements while purchasing the same. There are varied types of RAM in the market, and all have some or other purposes. Therefore, ask yourself the objective of purchasing RAM before buying it. It will help you in choosing a better RAM for your device. In this article, we will see the top five tips you should follow when purchasing RAM for your PC or laptop.
If you are a gamer, you need to choose RAM with fast speed to play the games without any lags. But before we proceed to the tips of choosing a good RAM, let’s understand what RAM is and why it is necessary.
What is the importance of RAM and how is it useful?
RAM also known as Random Access Memory stores the data in your CPU for a temporary period. It stores data in such a way that can be quickly accessed.
The main feature of RAM is to browse the internet and load various applications that a user uses. Also, it aids gamers to play games. It is used for running various programs, responding to commands, and moving in between two or more programmes. It keeps everything ready for you to use.
With the help of RAM, you can access data in any order. Because it is connected to the motherboard, it provides the maximum speed to work efficiently. In addition to this, RAM puts the desired information in the processor for your use.
Now, let us go through various factors which you should consider before buying RAM.
Things to consider while purchasing RAM
1. RAM for Desktop or Laptop
If you think the same RAM is durable for both computer and laptop, then you are wrong. Laptops and computers use different types of RAM. You cannot use the computer’s RAM for the laptop or the laptop’s RAM for a Desktop PC.
The RAM of computers and laptops is different, and they serve various purposes. Also, you will notice the difference in the size of both types of RAM. While the desktop PCs have larger sized RAM, laptops contain small dimensional RAMs. Therefore, do not try to use laptop and computer RAM interchangeably. Always purchase the right RAM for your device.
2. RAM Memory Size
RAM comes in varied sizes ranging from 1GB to 64GB. The RAM size you will require, depends on the interest of your use and requirements. An ideal range of RAM which is considered enough is 8GB-16GB.
If you are a gamer by choice, you may need around 8GB. But, if you are a professional gamer and budget is not an issue for you, you can go for at least 16GB RAM for each slot of your CPU.
If you are in the field of graphic designing, using 16GB or more RAM can be beneficial for you. For usual office work, working with 4GB can be of great use. In addition, if you use your laptop or computer for watching movies and dramas and other web surfing options, you can have 4GB of RAM.
3. RAM Frequency and Latency
You may assume that frequency and latency are the same but they are not actually. “Frequency means the speed at which memory can process data”. “Latency, on the other hand, signifies the working speed of the RAM to bring out the data”.
Frequency and latency work together to determine the overall performance of your Random Access Memory. The frequency and latency of RAM are directly proportional to each other. The higher the frequency of RAM means higher latency and vice-versa.
High frequency must be maintained with lower latency. What can you do to maintain this perfect coordination? Always, consider the CPU manufacturer’s page and motherboard details to know the best speed of your RAM.
More: The Ultimate Guide To Buy A Good Graphics Card For Gaming
4. Motherboard and CPU
Consider the motherboard and CPU before you buy RAM. The RAM should support your computer and motherboard. In this digital era, where technology keeps on changing at a high pace, it is important to have a compatible RAM to support your system. Your CPU, motherboard and RAM should go hand-in-hand and make your system work efficiently. Also, remember to choose RAM that is easier to upgrade.
5. RAM Height and Clearances
RAM height can be different and that’s why it is important to choose the RAM according to your motherboard. Also, look for clearance of RAM. You should purchase RAM which will fit into your computer and cause no problem for other parts of your device.
You can use a CPU cooler to know the right fit for your computer. This will help you to make a good choice for your device.
Bottom line
RAM is easy to choose if a few factors are considered while purchasing it. Mainly your profession and budget decide the RAM you want to use. Almost all DDR4 RAM is compatible with AMD and Intel CPUs. But, Intel latest 12th gen CPUs support DDR5 RAM. You should check out the guide best ram for Intel processors. They have talked about the latest DDR5 and also DDR4 RAM along with advantages, and disadvantages.
If you have a small budget, you can go for 8GB RAM, and then you can upgrade it in the future. And if budget is not an issue for you, you can opt for 16GB RAM.Consider frequency, latency, channels and other factors which are mentioned above. We are sure that by learning these tips you can make a better purchase of RAM.
