Key Takeaways
- RAM clock speed matters: Higher MHz leads to faster data transfers and processing.
- RAM capacity is crucial: More GB allows for smoother multitasking.
- Lower CAS latency is better: Lower CL lets your processor access data quicker.
While it may be one of the physically smaller components of your PC, your RAM has a major impact on how your PC runs. It is responsible in one way or another for nearly every single task you do. Whether you are trying to be productive, enjoying a gaming session or even just browsing the internet, your RAM can make your experience much more enjoyable.
When it comes to RAM, there are some things you need to know before you start worrying too much. First, you will want to know what type of RAM your system is using and what the max speeds and capacities your system is compatible with. Once you know this, you can then start looking into what RAM will be best for your PC based on your needs.
RAM frequency vs. latency: What matters more?
What decides how fast your RAM is? Frequency or latency?
Breaking it all down: Terms to look out for and what they mean
Speed (MHz or MT/s)
Both MHz and MT/s are used to measure the data rate (speed) of RAM. In simple terms, the higher the MHz or MT/s, the more data transfers your RAM can perform per second, which leads to faster overall processing. You will be able to do more tasks quicker as long as you have enough capacity of RAM as well.
Capacity (GB)
Modern RAM most commonly comes in 8GB or 16GB capacities per DIMM, though we are seeing much higher capacities as of late. This is what allows you to store your temporary files on the RAM. Simply put, the higher your overall RAM capacity, the more files your processor can access simultaneously without reading from storage. If you notice your PC starting to slow down when you are doing multiple things at once, it is possible that you are using all your RAM and may need more.
CAS Latency (CL)
When it comes to CAS Latency, the lower the number the better. CL is going to be the number of clock cycles it takes for the RAM to access a set of data. For instance, a RAM kit configured to run at CL16 is going to take 16 clock cycles to begin accessing data, whereas a CL14 kit would only take 14. This is why a lower number is better when it comes to CAS latency.
How to check your RAM speed
There are multiple ways to check your RAM speed, all of which are quite easy to do.
5. PC startup time
Everything is going to come into play here. When you start your PC up, it generally loads quite a few programs at once. While you can disable some programs from starting when you turn your PC on, it will always load the operating system if nothing else. Making sure you have enough capacity for this is crucial. And of course, the faster your memory speed the better.
4. Photo and Video Editing
Both photo and video editing can be taxing on your RAM, as well as on other components such as your CPU and GPU. A higher total RAM capacity will allow you to store more assets and files for quicker access. So many factors come into play here, but if you want to edit multiple 4K video clips into a single video, or edit high resolution photos, this is going to be very taxing on your RAM. 16GB may be the norm, but for more complex workloads you will likely want at least 32GB to get you started.
3. Gaming
Similar to when you turn your PC on, games load many different things at once. This can include game assets such as textures, lighting, environments, and much more. These game assets are continually loaded and shuffled in and out of memory, for as long as you are playing the game. The quicker your computer can get this done, the smoother the game will feel while playing. While you will want to make sure you have enough total RAM, you also need to make sure it is fast enough and has a low latency value.
How to optimize your RAM to improve its performance
There’s no way to magically make your RAM perform better but there are a few things you can do optimize it for better overall system performance.
2. Better Internet Browsing
Almost everyone loads multiple tabs while browsing the internet these days. Having more RAM allows you to easily switch between tabs and maybe even use other programs and apps like a calculator or notepad. The faster you can switch between all these, the better. Again, it will depend on your individual needs as to how much RAM you need, but more capacity allows you to keep more in memory at the same time. It is also worth noting that web browsers like Chrome and Edge are known to be RAM hogs.
1. Multitasking
Let’s imagine we want to do most of the above and at the same time. We are going to need as much RAM as possible to store the many temporary files created by all the different apps and programs we are using. We also want to make sure that all these temporary files can be accessed as quickly as possible. That means we are going to want as many GBs as we need, generally 16-32GB for most users. We’ll also want the fastest clock speed (MHz or MT/s) our PC can handle and the lowest CL timings we can find. Combining the three of these is going to make sure our multitasking goes as seamlessly as possible.
Best DDR5 RAM for gaming
Give yourself an in-game edge with these system memory upgrades
Getting the most from your PC RAM
In a perfect world, we would all have 64GB+ of memory running at over 9000MHz with a CL10 timing. However, the fact is, current PCs can not run that memory and each individual PC will have different RAM requirements. If you are on a Windows PC, you will want to see what motherboard and CPU your PC has, then you can use that to determine the best RAM for your system. If you are on a laptop or a Mac, you will want to look up the model number and see the compatible RAM specs for your system.
It is also worth noting that not everyone needs to purchase the highest end RAM for their system, and this is fine as well. As long as you have enough RAM, and it is running fast enough for your needs, that is great. However, should you want a bit more performance and want things to run smoother and faster when running more complex tasks, upgrading your RAM is a great place to start.
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