How much is enough RAM?

Random access memory, which is often referred to as RAM is an essential part of your computer. It holds data that is needed by the computer after you boot it up to the desktop. RAM is not like a Hard Drive, it does not hold information when there is no electricity, so it is said that RAM is volatile. Having enough RAM will boost your computers performance by allowing more programs to run simultaneously and faster, and it’s the most cost effective way to improve this performance rather than purchase a new computer.

How much is enough? There are some standards to follow with regards to RAM. Most of us don’t use anything older than WinXP for the OS on our work and at home desktops and laptops. The standard I set for these machines is 1 GB minimum and 2GB as the preferred amount of RAM to use. You can use 4 GB is the XP environment, but the problem with that is that XP can only recognize only 3.2 GB of the 4GB installed. The reason for that is because the version of XP your using is the 32bit version, and that has the 3.2 cap of recognized RAM in your computer. You can purchase the 64 bit version of XP, but I wouldn’t recommend doing that I suggest buying Win7 64 bit (XP64 or Win7 64 require that your processor be 64bit as well otherwise don’t use this version if your processor doesn’t support the 64bit versions). In the cases of XP64 bit thought, I’d suggest using a minimum of 4GB.

For those of us using Vista 32 bit and Win7 32 bit, I suggest using at least 2 GB on these machines. Why 2GB minimum instead of the 1B like on XP, the reason is as operating systems evolved, so has the amount of RAM they use when they are running. So the newer versions of Windows use more of your computers RAM while running, which leaves less for other applications. The optimal amount is 4GB for these machines, and just like the 32 bit version of XP, they will only recognize around 3.2 GB. For 64bit versions of these operating systems, I suggest 4GB as a minimum and the optimal amount is between 6GB and 8GB.

If your not sure what RAM to buy, or how to install RAM into your laptop or desktop computer, contacting a local computer repair professional is the best thing to do. They can help you choose the right RAM and install it for you.