What is RAM ? explained
What is RAM? RAM stands for Random Access Memory. Random-access memory (RAM) is a critical component of computers, gaming consoles, cellphones, servers, and almost any other computerized device.
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This technology works as a sort of intermediary between your device's CPU - or processor - and the data stored on its hard drive, so that when you access that data, execute applications, and so on, the RAM is there to serve it up.
But there's a lot more to RAM than that, from the many types of DDR to the question of how much you really need. All of the RAM basics are covered in this article.
What is RAM ? explained
Let's take a closer look at what RAM is and how it works. All of your documents, films, games, and applications are saved on your hard drive or SSD, which is your computer's 'long-term' memory, where things stay until you erase them.
When you start software or turn on your computer, data is temporarily transferred from your hard drive to RAM, which then stores it for processing by your CPU (or processor). The data is then returned to RAM, where it will remain until you quit the software or switch off your computer.
RAM, like a workbench for your PC, is a temporary and ‘volatile' storage space for your data as and when you need it. The larger the workbench, the more RAM you have. Everything on the workbench is cleaned and packed away when you turn off your computer.
DRAM is the technical term for what we often refer to as RAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). Other types of RAM exist, such as VRAM, which serves a similar purpose on graphics cards, but that isn't our focus today.
A computer might theoretically function without RAM; however, it would be significantly slower since the CPU would have to read data directly from the hard drive (even modern NVMe SSDs are much slower than DDR4 RAM in terms of reaction time. However, nowadays, the motherboard BIOS also makes use of the RAM, thus the operating system would not boot without it.
DDR and Frequency
After the RAM size (8GB, 16GB, and so on), the major characteristics you'll find when buying RAM are DDR and a frequency shown in MHz.
DDR stands for Double Data Rate and has been the industry standard for decades. DDR4 RAM is used on the majority of motherboards nowadays. If you want DDR4 RAM, you'll need to change your motherboard if you have an older motherboard with DDR3 RAM.
DDR4 was introduced in 2014, and it is a more contemporary and sophisticated version of DDR3, which was initially introduced in 2007. DDR4 RAM offers a greater peak bandwidth and a higher base frequency of 2133MHz (which is quite high for DDR3). DDR4 also operates at a lower voltage, extending the battery life of devices such as laptops and smartphones.
Performance-wise, it's the frequency and bandwidth that matter more than the DDR number, but because DDR4 has more capacity for both, you're generally better off buying that.
However, if you presently have 16GB of DDR3 1600MHz RAM, it will perform similarly to 16GB of DDR 4 1600MHz RAM. To observe any performance improvement, you'll need higher frequency RAM, and even then, the difference can be small.
It's important to know that if your RAM is DDR3, you won't be able to just replace it with brand new DDR4 RAM; you'll need a DDR4-compatible motherboard. If you're constructing a new PC or upgrading to a more contemporary processor (which may also necessitate a new motherboard), though, DDR4 RAM makes sense.
DDR5 RAM is also now available, with higher frequencies and under-the-hood enhancements, although it isn't yet commercially accessible.
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How much RAM do you actually need?
When DDR4 was first introduced, there was a lot of buzz about how it could theoretically support modules as large as 512GB. In reality, unless you're running servers, you won't need more than 16GB total RAM, or 32GB at the most.
No game uses that much RAM, and unless you work in high-intensity video production and have a lot of programs and browser windows open at the same time, 16GB should suffice. Even in the most demanding games, performance on 8GB RAM and 32GB RAM is likely to be relatively similar if the CPU and GPU are equivalent.
Because most motherboards have four RAM slots, you may split your RAM across two to four slots when you buy it. Is 4 x 4GB RAM quicker than 2 x 8GB RAM, for example?
No, for the most part, however, because most current motherboards only support dual-channel RAM, you're probably better off using only two slots. When utilizing the same size and frequency of RAM, performance benchmarks indicate virtually little difference between using two and four RAM sticks.
The fewer parts there are, the less likely something will go wrong, and using only two RAM slots means you can fill the remaining two in the future (though you need to use the exact same RAM in all slots).
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