RAM memory on the computer: how many GB is needed beyond marketing?

is

a key part of a PC or laptop: it is in charge of saving the data of the programs that we open and is partly responsible -although not the only one- for the fact that the equipment does not slow down.

Thus, it is critical to open many tabs in the browser or many applications at the same time.

Which raises the question: how much is needed?

8, 16, 32 or 

?

The answer to this question is rather contextual.

It is not the same to use a computer to browse the internet, visit social networks and applications like Word, than having to edit video or want to play video games with the best

possible

The standard that almost always appears in people's heads is

.

And while under certain conditions (updated processor and solid-state drive) this may be enough for the average user,

, especially after the pandemic in which much more intensive use began.

"Today it can be considered that 8GB is the base configuration that most new computers come with, there are no new computers with

José Luis Fernández, technology manager of

, one of the most important manufacturers,

explains to

. greats of the world

However, there are a series of parameters to take into account depending on each case:

(with DDR5 as the newest but the least widespread), in a category where every penny that is spent more on a component is is taking another.

And by the way, a clarification by no means minor: all this information is with

as the reference operating system, not necessarily because it is the best, but because it is

Here, the expert word and everything there is to know about

What is RAM memory

Photo Maxi Failla

The first thing we have to do is understand

: its acronym,

, (random access memory) guides a bit of what the issue is about.

It is also called “

” memory: “It is called that because when the computer is turned off its contents are lost and it is basically the closest working space that the processor has beyond the internal cache, which is also a type of memory", develops the Kingston expert.

RAM is thus the first work space that the processor has to store applications and their data:

The second thing is that there are three important parameters: the

of RAM (measured in gigabytes), the

(measured in MT/s, MegaTransfers/sec) and the

already exists since last year

, although with such a price high that makes it almost inaccessible.

For this reason,

is still the standard (and there are still computers with

.

What are

?

“It is the technical way of describing the speed of memories.

Until very recently the term megahertz (Mhz) was used to refer to the physical frequency at which the chips run, but a year ago Kingston and other companies began to call it by its name: MT/s or MegaTransfers/sec”, he explains. .

“This is because when you buy a

' memory, actually physically the chips run at

(half), but as DDR memory technology (“double data rate”) transmits 2 times for each clock cycle , the net data transfer is doubled, hence the

, ”he clarifies.

The standard quantity and speed in 2023

2 of 8: 16GB in "dual channel", a good option.

Photo Maxi Failla

“The operating system, Windows for example,

.

The problem is all the

that run on top and are included.

There are many heavy applications that send information to the operating system (telemetry

that compromise the available memory”, explains Nicolás Wolovick, PhD in Computer Science from the National University of Córdoba.

"That is to say: nobody cares about making applications that use few resources. In fact, there are people who run

The problem comes with everything that comes with the OS," adds the expert in computational calculations. And to that we must add what the user installs.

In this sense, although most of the current laptops come with

, this number can be

even for the average user.

“It is already normal to see that when you just start the computer, the equipment is

consuming 8, 9 or even 10 gigabytes of memory.

So

is no longer just something to be 'loose' but a necessity.

Yes, you can manage with 8 if there are budget limits but it is not recommended and you should definitely look to upgrade to 16 as soon as possible”, suggests Fernández.

A basic kit of 16GB of RAM costs around

today (without heatsink or RBG).

Now, if heavier tasks are carried out, 16 is even too small.

"For professional jobs, it is usual to start from

it must be taken into account that many of the new equipment, including laptops, already support capacities of up to 64 gigabytes of memory."

As for

, which is usually a demanding sector, 16GB can be more than enough: “16GB is still enough to play, unless it is not used only for gaming but also for streaming and other editing tasks, with

”.

In this sense, this sector often prioritizes

(lights, as seen in the images).

As for RAM speed, the current standard is

.

“In DDR4 equipment, the standardized rate is

.

Those who are already acquiring the latest platforms that use DDR5 technology handle even higher speeds starting from 4800 and going up to 6000, and even more, Kingston will be launching 7200 in a couple of months”, adds

.

Beware: Non-Expansion Laptops

RAM is bought in "sticks" that are inserted into "slots".

Photo: Shutterstock

One problem that must be taken into account is that there are some computers that come with the bad idea of ​​having the

to the motherboard without the possibility of expansion.

This is a bad practice of certain companies that limit future hardware upgrades.

“Another trend that is currently taking place is that many laptops mainly come with soldered memory and without expansion slots, which

if the user buys it without knowing this detail because when they inevitably look for the expansion they will realize that it is not It is possible on that team," he warns.

"In this case, the only alternative is to change the equipment, so the recommendation is to check in detail when buying whether the equipment will be upgradable in memory and on disk," he adds.

Thus, the speed that surely does not cause problems for the average user is 16GB of RAM, although if you are building a cheap computer, you can always start with 8 and then add 8 more.

The highest speeds are relegated to more specific tasks and even professionals or recreation (video games), so it is better not to be seduced by the marketing of some companies and go for a classic but safe configuration: 16 to 3200 mt/s

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