We are constantly advised to have a lot of RAM in our computer, but what exactly is it? How to choose the right RAM for your PC? Explanations.
The RAM (Random Access Memory) bars, also called RAM, are elements that are connected directly to the motherboard of your PC. They allow the computer, via the processor, to store data temporarily to run software, OS (Linux, Windows, Mac OS ...) or simply your games.
This implies that the more RAM you have, the more applications you can run at the same time. Today, there is mainly one type of RAM: DDR SDRAM in different versions 2, 3, 4, and the latest 5 available since less than a year (Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory). If you want to build a new computer, you will have to take DDR4 or DDR5, but if you want to restore an old machine, you will have to turn to an older generation. It is indeed the motherboard that defines the compatibility of the version.
Besides the type, there are two main formats: SODIMM and DIMM. The first one is for laptops, the latter are smaller than the DIMM.
Then you have to choose the capacity, which can be up to 128 GB per strip for the recent DDR5. Most of the time, on budget computers there is only 4GB of RAM, and that is sometimes soldered directly to the motherboard, making it impossible to replace (especially on laptops). If you can, it is highly recommended to opt for at least 8 GB, knowing that the more you have, the more applications you can run simultaneously, which is also very important for memory-intensive software such as the latest generation of imaging software.
But it is also important to make sure that your memory stick is compatible with your motherboard.
Another element to take into account is the frequency of the RAM, which indicates the speed of data processing. The higher the frequency, e.g. 3600 Mhz, the better, even if beyond a certain threshold the impact becomes too small compared to the amount spent.
Finally, it is always better to combine two similar RAM bars to take advantage of the Dual Channel technology which allows you to gain up to 10% more speed!
Now all you have to do is find the best prices on RAM memory sticks so that you don't break the bank!
