How To Check RAM Specifications in Your Computer

Your computer serves its intended purpose when it has the capability. One of the most significant aspects of a computer is its RAM. The Ram of a computer is what determines how the computer performs.

Before purchasing any computer, you need to have prior knowledge of its purpose. When selecting a computer, look for one with RAM capable of handling the tasks you intend to execute. The number of programs your system runs dictates the amount of RAM your PC requires.

Knowing how much RAM your PC has is vital to determine whether or not your PC has the memory to carry out different tasks simultaneously. This article will unmask what RAM is, how to check the RAM in your PC, and how to check the RAM speed. I will also outline how upgrading RAM increases the performance of your PC.

Note: before proceeding with this article, it is vital first to understand that RAM is not a permanent memory (like a hard drive).

RAM Specifications

A computer's RAM capacity is measured in terms of the memory, a set of circuits that hold data temporarily and process it. A computer uses the RAM to perform various tasks, including storing vital information when computing and processing information for storage or input by an external device. RAM is also used for accessing data from storage areas.

Therefore, a PC needs RAM to perform its functions independently and efficiently. When buying a PC, always check how much RAM it has.

The RAM is usually accessed by the processor, which manipulates the commands given by the user. RAM is easily accessible compared to other memories, like hard disk drives.

RAM is only available when it is powered, meaning that once the power to the RAM is cut off, all the data stored on it is lost. This kind of memory is known to be volatile. Re-access RAM is powered when the computer is switched on; thus, files are transferred from ROM (Read Only Memory) to RAM.

Because of its volatility, RAM is mainly used to execute immediate tasks, not for storing permanent information. RAM also has a limited memory space, the more reason it's only for storing limited data. For this reason, when the RAM is overwhelmed with data, the processor must discard all the data stored in the RAM and reload a new set of data. This typically slows the operations of the computer.

RAMs are designed to allocate each task a given slot in its memory. It can hold so many programs at once; only its execution speed will be slowed down significantly. To increase the speed, users can increase the size of their RAMs.

The size of RAM depends on the programs the user intends to run. Applications that require bigger RAM spaces are installed on computers with RAMs of that capability. RAM sizes range from 1 GB to about 16 GB. Computers have slots for adding RAM sticks.

Thus the user can combine RAMs of different sizes to achieve their desired memory size. The bigger the size, the faster the execution; thus, the computer is said to be faster in its data processing.

There are different types of RAMS: Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), which needs constant power to retain its data with constant refreshing, and Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), which holds data without being refreshed continuously.

It becomes necessary for users to know how much space is needed for their operations and the speed required for execution. A computer with less RAM space is usually slower, which reduces the computer's general efficiency. There are a number of ways to check the RAM size and speed, also called RAM frequency or clock speed, on a computer.

While RAM is a critical component in a computer, care should be considered when choosing a RAM with good speed. A good RAM should have a high data rate transfer between the memory and processor. This does not imply that faster RAM is better than RAM with great memory at a slower speed.

For space or size of the RAM:

•  Use of task manager
• Using the system information on windows
•  By using CPU –Z

For speed, the following steps are used

• Using task manager
• The CPU-Z
• Using the Command Prompt

Using task manager to check RAM size

Windows Task manager is a handy tool for information on a computer. It shows statistics on the usage of computers. The Task manager has processes, performance, app history, startup, users, details, and service tasks.

Task manager is used to show how much RAM a computer has used the following steps:

1. Right Click on the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, then select task manager, or Press Ctrl + shift +Esc to launch task manager
2. On the windows that show, click on performance. The memory box displays the current RAM usage and the total RAM installed in the computer.

Using the system information on windows

Windows provides a tool for viewing the properties of a computer. You can also use the same information to check how much RAM you have.

1. Press Win+Pause/Break ( ' ) button on your keyboard, then select system information from the list of options that display
2. On the System window that shows, look at the system type listed under basic Information. It gives you an idea of how much RAM your machine has and checks its speed.
3. Look at your computer's amount of RAM and speed.

Using CPU-Z to check RAM space and size

CPU-Z is software that provides tons of helpful information about a computer. CPU-Z runs analysis on the computer to show its performance. CPU-z gives information on a computer's CPU, motherboard RAM, and cache memory.

1. The first step is downloading and installing the software.
2. Open the CPU-Z software, then click on the memory.
3. Under the memory bar, the general information of the RAM is shown.

The type of RAM and size are also displayed.

How to check RAM speed

Of importance just as space is the speed of RAM. The speed of your RAM will determine how quickly you can access your files and how faster you run your applications. The level of speed of RAM is usually written in number form alongside Megahertz (MHz).

A faster RAM speed enables your computer to process information faster. Low RAM speed reduces the performance of a computer, especially when working with larger files.

Here is how to check the RAM speed in your pc

Before you check your RAM speed, it is essential to understand some terms used to describe RAM speed.

• RAM clock speed

This is the highest number of commands a RAM can take in seconds. Clock speed is measured in Megahertz (MHz). Having the highest clock speed, your PC motherboard can stand vital.

• CAS latency

Column Address Strobe (CAS) Latency or CL is the time taken between when a computer RAM is given a command and when the result of the command is availed.

When the computer is given a command, the RAM controller is active, which gives its memory access to certain functions; the data has to run via several clock cycles in the CAS to complete the required task.

The lower the CAS latency, the better the performance of the computer.

Using task manager to check RAM speed

Just like a task manager can be used to check the amount of RAM, it is also be used to check the RAM speed, here is how to do that.

1. Right-click on the taskbar below your screen, select task manager, or Press Ctrl + shift +Esc to launch task manager.
2. Click on performance on the window that shows.
3. Click on the memory tab, and under the memory composition on the lower right side, indicate the RAM speed in MHz.

Using CPU-Z to check RAM speed

Using the CPU-Z software, you get information on the clock speed of your RAM, here is how to do that.

1. Download and install the software.
2. Open the CPU-Z software, then click on the memory tab. Another window will open, showing both your RAM's clock speed and latency.
3. Click on information under CAS latency; another window will show your RAM's CAS latency in nanoseconds (ns).

Using the command prompt

If you cannot use other methods to check your RAM speed, you can use the command prompt to do so.

1. Click on the windows key on the computer.
2. Type in cmd, right-click the command prompt and click run as administrator.
3. Click on yes to allow the program to change your computer.
4. Type in “wmic memory-chip get speed," and press enter.
5. The speed of your RAM is given below the speed command.

Conclusion

Knowing RAM specifications helps you to know the performance of your PC. And to check all the specifications of the RAM installed in your device, one of the above methods can help you greatly. Hopefully, the instructions we have provided above will assist you in learning about the RAM in your PC.

Checking the RAM is important to ensure that your computer is working correctly. The memory can be found either in the motherboard or in the computer's slots.

A computer's RAM is often overlooked, but it plays a crucial role in how fast your machine runs and handles certain tasks well. If your PC has a lot of memory, you won't be as affected if you need to make room for something else on it.