subject: How to Evaluate Computer RAM Memory Requirements [print this page] RAM or Random Access Memory is very critical to the effective functioning of your system. It plays a central role in your PC working. It is capable of holding the system, operating applications and also the files that are open on your system. When you are working on your system and you open up your favourite gaming software or launch your favourite video into the PC, the instructions that are given by us are loaded into the system's RAM and CPU is responsible for fetching those instructions from the RAM and thereby executing the same. Even a windows based desktop would also be having certain amount of RAM for the functioning. Therefore it is understandable that if any computer has more RAM it would be able to handle more applications simultaneously, implying that it would be able to open up faster and at the same time would be able to effectively handle multidimensional applications at the same time.
But the big question is as to how much memory is required by your system? and how much is TOO' much for you to handle and otherwise what are the type of RAM that are ideal for your system? Should you be actually satisfied with a low performing but a cheap computer, or would you be happy with investing that extra money on your system upgrade to see it performing well. Actually it all boils down to the fact as to what is it that you are looking for your system to perform? After all the requirements differ from one system to another; for example the Windows XP system that is slated to run at SDRAM 256MB RAM actually performs well at the levels of 512 MB of RAM.
Similarly Windows 98 and Me can run at even 32 MB of RAM but it can actually perform decently well with at least 64MB but again 128 MB would enhance its performance commendably. Again this calculation is for the Operating System only, once we load applications in the system, the RAM requirements add up accordingly. For example if you are running a simple word application and Excel then each program requires 32MB of RAM, and in case you need two to three applications running at the same time, then RAM requirements keep adding on accordingly. Also if you are handling more complicated functionalities then more RAM would be required to run the system effectively. However it also has to be considered that there is also virtual memory in the systems therefore if you do not want to upgrade the system memory to the maximum, then also it can be marginally fine as the system can use the virtual memory to make up for the difference. But you have to bear in mind that performance can be impacted by the same.
