On CPU-Z, you’ll want to use the “Memory” and “SPD” tabs to see information about your RAM. Memory will show the memory type and current frequency information. The SPD tab, which stands for “serial presence detection”, contains information related to the RAM modules themselves, including information about the manufacturer and part number.
What Is RAM (Random Access Memory)?
Tim Fisher has over 30 years of professional experience in technology. He has been writing about technology for over two decades and serves as Lifewire’s vice president and general manager.
Michael Heine is a CompTIA certified writer, editor and network engineer with over 25 years of experience working in the TV, defense, ISP, telecommunications and education industries.
Random-access memory, or RAM (pronounced RAM), is physical hardware inside a computer that temporarily stores data, serving as the computer’s “working memory.
The extra RAM allows the computer to work with more information at the same time, which usually has a significant impact on the overall system performance.
Some popular RAM manufacturers include Kingston, PNY, Crucial, and CORSAIR.
There are many types of RAM, so you might hear it being called by other names. It is also known as main memory, internal memory, primary memory, primary memory, stick, and RAM stick”.
What Is RAM?
Put simply, the purpose of RAM is to provide fast read and write access to the storage device. Your computer uses RAM to load data as this is much faster than running the same data directly from your hard drive.
Think of RAM as a desk. The desk is used for quick access to important documents, writing tools and other items you need at the moment. Without a desk, everything would be stored in drawers and filing cabinets, meaning it would take much longer to complete your daily tasks as you would have to constantly reach into those lockers to get what you need and then spend the extra time putting them away.
Likewise, all data that you actively use on your computer (or smartphone, tablet, etc.) is temporarily stored in RAM. This type of memory, like the desk analogy, provides much faster read / write times than when using a hard drive. Most hard drives are significantly slower than RAM due to physical limitations such as rotation speed.
While both types of RAM use the same technology and work in exactly the same way, they cannot be mixed. You can’t just squeeze a DIMM into a SO-DIMM socket and vice versa (pins and sockets are not lined up!).
What Is RAM?
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It acts as an intermediary between the small, super-fast cache in the processor and the large, super-slow storage of a hard disk or SSD. Your system uses RAM to temporarily store the running parts of the operating system and data that applications are actively using. RAM is not a form of permanent storage.
Think of your computer as an office. The hard drive is the filing cabinet in the corner. RAM is like your entire office workstation, while the CPU cache is like your actual workspace where you are actively working on your document.
The more RAM you have, the more things you can quickly access at any time. Just like having a larger desk can hold more pieces of paper without becoming cluttered and bulky (and also requires more travel back to the filing cabinet for a reorganization).
However, unlike a desk, RAM cannot function as persistent memory. System RAM content is lost as soon as the power is turned off. Losing power is like cleaning your desk of any document.
RAM Usually Means SDRAM
When people talk about RAM, they usually mean Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM). This article also covers SDRAM. On most desktops and laptops, RAM appears as a flash drive that can be inserted into the motherboard.
Unfortunately, with super thin and light laptops there is a growing tendency to solder RAM directly to the motherboard to save space. However, it comes with sacrificing upgrade and repair options.
Don’t confuse SDRAM with SRAM, which stands for Static RAM. Static RAM is the memory used for CPU cache, among other things. It is much faster, but also has a limited capacity, making it unsuitable as a replacement for SDRAM. It’s very unlikely you’ll encounter SRAM in widespread use, so it’s not something you should worry about.
RAM is made up of tiny capacitors and transistors that are capable of holding an electrical charge representing data bits, just like processors and other computer components. This electric charge needs to be constantly refreshed. If this is not the case, the capacitors lose their charge very quickly and the data disappears from the RAM.
Additional software options
Much of the above information is also available through third-party software such as CPU-Z and Speccy.
On CPU-Z, you’ll want to use the “Memory” and “SPD” tabs to see information about your RAM. Memory will show the memory type and current frequency information. The SPD tab, which stands for “serial presence detection”, contains information related to the RAM modules themselves, including information about the manufacturer and part number.
In Speccy, you’ll want to switch to the “RAM” view from the left menu. There you should find practically all information about RAM and memory you need. You may need to expand the “SPD” dropdown to get more detailed RAM information depending on what you are trying to find.
Physical RAM module
Most consumer RAM modules come with a label that identifies the type of RAM. Typically, these labels will either be a sticker stuck directly onto the RAM stick, engraved on the fancy heat spreader on higher performance modules, or they can be printed directly onto the PCB. In these cases, you’ll usually find the part number that you can then search on your favorite search engine to find out what the rest of the specs are. If you cannot locate the label or ID anywhere, it may be prudent to use one of the methods described above.
These options should help you find out what RAM your computer is using. If you want to upgrade, make sure you get RAM of the same type and format as you cannot directly convert DDR3 to DDR4 without having to replace your motherboard. For more information on upgrading RAM, check out our guide on How to Install New Memory in Your Computer.
To achieve both memory compliance and synchronicity, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to ensure that your system runs at the best possible memory performance.
How RAM Works
Georgii Shipin / Shutterstock
RAM is made up of tiny capacitors and transistors that are capable of holding an electrical charge representing data bits, just like processors and other computer components. This electric charge needs to be constantly refreshed. If this is not the case, the capacitors lose their charge very quickly and the data disappears from the RAM.
The fact that data can be lost so quickly when loading is gone is why it’s so important to save any changed data to your hard drive or SSD. This is also the reason why so many programs have auto-save features or cache unsaved changes in the event of an unexpected shutdown.
In special circumstances, forensic specialists may retrieve data from RAM. However, in most cases, the information in RAM memory disappears when you finish working with the file or turn off the computer.
What Is DDR?
Corsair Vengeance when it was DDR3 (and needed a haircut). Corsair
The most common form of RAM in use today is DDR4. It is the fourth version of Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory with Double Data Rate (DDR SDRAM). “Double data rate” means that data can be transferred twice per clock cycle, not just once. In practice, this means doubling the memory bandwidth, and it also relates to the speed at which data is transferred to and from RAM.
Before DDR4, computers used (surprise!) DDR3. It’s not uncommon for computers to still rock DDR3 RAM. DDR4 came out in late 2014 and didn’t become the most popular type of RAM until a few years later.
RAMs are “pasted” to prevent people from mixing and matching different generations that are incompatible. If you look at the RAM shown above for example, you’ll see the little two on the bottom row. On DDR4, this partition is located in a different place, which (along with other differences) prevents the DDR3 pendrive from being inserted in the DDR4 socket.
RAM also comes in two types: DIMM and SODIMM. DIMM is used in desktops and tower servers while SODIMM is used in smaller devices such as laptops and compact desktops. Some pre-built computers (especially laptops) also have RAM modules directly soldered to the motherboard. In this case, there is no RAM, making the update impractical.
It is possible to overclock your RAM just as you can overclock your CPU or graphics card. Overclocking increases the bandwidth of your RAM. Manufacturers sometimes sell overclocked RAM, but you can overclock it yourself. Just make sure your motherboard supports the higher RAM clock speed!
How much RAM do I have?
If you’re not sure what you are doing, buying RAM can seem a little complicated. It can come in many different speeds, shapes, and sizes, and even if a RAM stick physically fits into your computer, chances are it won’t function properly.
Unfortunately, Windows 10 does not provide much information in this regard. To see this, go to the “About” section of the control panel. This can be easily done by typing “RAM” in the Windows 10 search bar and selecting “View RAM Information”. Another option to get there is to access the “System” settings and go down the page to “About”.
On the About screen, you should see information about the device name, processor type and speed, installed RAM, device and product ID, whether it’s a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system, and various data.
You will notice that the installed RAM shows two numbers. The first is the total amount of RAM installed in the system, and the second shows “usable” RAM, which indicates how much RAM your applications and processes can use at any given time. The latter number is smaller because some of the installed RAM is always reserved for some critical Windows processes.
Considering the way it works with the system, it is most efficient to install RAM in multiples of four. This means that the installed RAM should be 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and so on. Some older computers may have 2 GB of RAM, but considering Windows 10 requires at least 2 GB to run efficiently, you usually find that computers today are at least 4 GB. If you see a number that is not a multiple of four (for example, 6 GB), it is possible that your RAM has crashed or is not installed correctly. For example, having 12 GB of RAM installed may indicate that of four 4 GB RAM disks, one has failed.
What RAM should I buy?
Most manufacturers nowadays recommend at least 4 GB for daily use. Games and other graphics-intensive operations require a bit more. A high-end laptop can be 16 GB or even 32 GB. Desktops can go even further – in fact, some 64-bit versions of Windows will hold up to 6 TB of RAM, although you would likely hit your motherboard’s maximum RAM limit well before that number is reached.
Before we go shopping, we need a little more information. The free CPU-Z utility from CPUID is a great option for collecting this data. Install it on your computer, run it, and then go to the Memory tab.
The obvious advantage is that your machine can run more applications simultaneously without breaking sweat and limiting performance. Most modern desktops and many laptops allow you to upgrade your RAM, which can breathe new life into an aging system without having to buy a brand new machine.
What is RAM?
The RAM that is used in a gaming computer is called SDRAM or Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory. SDRAM is also divided into several speed classes using a Double Data Rate (or DDR) class system. There is also a second type of RAM called Graphics DDR (or GDDR) which is designed for graphics cards, but for the purposes of this article we will only focus on DDR SDRAM for motherboards.
Each DDR SDRAM memory module is manufactured as a kind of long stick with memory chips embedded in the sides. There are a series of pins at the bottom of each RAM, and these pins are designed to fit into the DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) sockets on your computer’s motherboard. Typically most motherboards have a total of four DIMM sockets, although some have more or less.
The amount of memory on a single RAM disk may vary, and higher capacity memory cards are more expensive. Most non-gaming PCs have 2 to 4 GB of RAM, but for top-tier gaming you will definitely need at least 8 GB, and preferably 12-16 GB if you can. Just know that more RAM means more strain on your PC’s PSU and CPU, so make sure your other components can handle the load.
To find out how much RAM you need for your system, check out our guide:
RAM is fairly easy to install on a computer’s motherboard, as long as you do it correctly. The pins on the bottom of each RAM are cut, which means there is only one way to insert the RAM modules into the DIMM slot. Also, if you are using two RAM modules at once, make sure they are inserted into the matching DIMM sockets on your motherboard (these sockets are usually color coded and are often not next to each other).
Finally, make sure your RAM DDR type (more on that in a moment) is compatible with your motherboard (not all boards accept all types of DDR). Most modern motherboards only support DDR4 at the time of this writing, but some still support DDR3. It’s important to check your motherboard’s documentation and make sure your motherboard supports the type of RAM you’re considering.
Understanding different DDR types
As we mentioned above, DDR stands for double the data rate. It is a natural evolution of the antiquated SDR (Single Data Rate) SDRAM and over the years the base version of DDR has been beaten by DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4 SDRAM (with DDR5 expected to arrive next year).
As of this writing, DDR4 SDRAM memory is considered the staple standard in PC gaming. However, you can get away with using DDR3 if you want to save some money and / or aren’t building super high-end hardware.
Each growing class of DDR memory outperforms its predecessor when it comes to things like clock speed, performance, bus speed and bandwidth. In fact, DDR and DDR2 SDRAM are virtually deprecated at the time of this writing (most modern motherboards only support DDR4, although you can still find many DDR3 compatible models). In terms of performance, DDR4 offers an increase over DDR3 (although it’s not always something you actually notice in games) and has become so common that it’s usually better to use DDR4 just for the sake of your system’s future.
If you want to delve a little bit into technical weeds, here’s a chart that shows the differences between standard SDRAM, SDRAM, DDR, DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4.
The fact that data can be lost so quickly when loading is gone is why it’s so important to save any changed data to your hard drive or SSD. This is also the reason why so many programs have auto-save features or cache unsaved changes in the event of an unexpected shutdown.
Planning Your Memory Configuration
Depending on the processor manufacturer, the optimal specifications will vary.
If you are wondering how much memory you should buy it will depend on the workload you want to adjust.
For example, 32 to 64 GB of RAM is recommended for video editing, while 16 GB is sufficient for games.
For AMD processors, the best RAM speed to aim for will be double the internal frequency of Infinity Fabric – also known as FCLK or Fclock. This double data rate will ensure a level of synchronicity between the CPU and RAM for optimal performance.
For Zen 2 and Zen 3 processors, FCLK is 1800 MHz; so the 3600MHz CL 16 RAM kit is the speed meter of the future.
This set speed has been proven to provide better performance than the CL 14 3200 MHz set, despite the higher absolute latency metric (8.89ns vs 8.75ns).
Note that the FCLK value can be overclocked; so if your load requires faster frequencies, you can purchase kits that have a frequency that is twice the data rate than the overclocked FCLK value.
For a full breakdown of the best memory for AMD processors, check out our related article.
It should also be noted that the Samsung B-Die has proven to be the best RAM for AMD processors.
Intel
Buying RAM for an Intel CPU is also quite simple as it has been factory tested and tested at a specific speed of the RAM set: 3200MHz CL 14.
These specs are in line with Intel’s internal testing, so it’s safe to mark this speed as the best point for Intel processors.
Conclusion
All in all, if you’re planning to upgrade your computer’s memory, it’s always wise to go for a single set of RAM.
However, it is understandable that this may not always be in line with your allocated budget as well as with your current needs.
If you plan to build a new computer, make sure you buy the future-proof RAM specs so that future upgrades can go smoothly.
If your computer already has a set of RAM that is slower than you want, you can always buy extra RAM and experiment with adding it to your computer until you can replace the older memory.
Remember: the more factors you can eliminate variability, the better your chances of optimal compatibility.
