Author: David C Smith
One of the very best upgrades you can make for your computer is to install more memory. Usually its more cost-effective than almost any other upgrade you might look at. And isnt that the purpose? To get the most bang for your upgrade buck.
Not only is installing more memory pretty cheap, most people can get it done for between $50-200. But, its also the most effective as well. It can improve your entire computing experience. From browsing the web, to doing multi-tasking, having more than one computer program running. Its especially important in families where the computer is used by different users. As that can be very memory intensive.
In todays computing world, you need at a very minimum 512MB of memory, and if youre going to be using Windows Vista, youd be better served with at least 1GB of memory. While youll find high-end systems with 2-4GB or more of memory.
However, knowing that you need memory is the easy part. Finding what memory you need for your specific computer is the hard part. It would be much simpler if it was like DVDs, every DVD runs in every DVD player. However, memory comes in different sizes, speed ratings and they are not all compatible with each other. Take note that laptop memory is generally a different size than what you can find in desktops. So, you wont find it interchangeable. The first place to look is in the users manual or any documentation you have with the computer, or on the manufacturers website.
What you must keep in mind is that sometimes its difficult to match the memory you need with the computer. You have to have the right size, and picking the right speed memory makes a difference as well. When you have a laptop the problem is especially apparent. Laptops are notorious for not having much space for memory, and being picky about the memory that will run in them. Usually the users manual or the website of the computer company can help you determine what type of memory you need to upgrade.
Typically you can find much of this in your users manual, or the manufacturers website. If not many of the memory manufacturers such as Kingston and Crucial have excellent websites that have the specs for most of the computers made in the last decade or two. Thats an excellent backup source of information.
Once youve done it once, youll quickly realize that upgrading your memory isnt that difficult and youll find your computing experience to be much more pleasurable. Getting a good memory upgrade can prolong the useful life of even ancient(4-5 year old) computers by allowing them to be functional for years longer. If you find your computer processes to be slowing down, and youre waiting around for what seems like hours for the most trivial tasks, exploring a memory upgrade might be an important step for you.
Just to be clear, we are talking about computer memory or RAM. The day is not quite here where we can upgrade our own memory with cybernetic chips. Or at least not that "they" are telling us.
Most people find that installing more memory in your computer can be quite cheap, and is usually pretty helpful. It allows you to do more tasks, more efficiently. For instance having more memory could help an excel spreadsheet to run a calculation faster. Opening up two Internet browsers wouldnt cause the whole computer to get slower. Even opening up a computer program to run it would be faster.
For the most part its best to start with at the very least 512MB, and with memory as cheap as it is these days, and with the future in mind, 1GB should be your goal. Especially if youre going to run Windows Vista or be using the computer for games or anything more than just simple web browsing and word processors. Its not uncommon today to see two to four gigabytes in your high-end computers.
The problem is not all computers are made equally. You cant just run down to your neighborhood computer store, and buy any old memory and expect that youre going to be able to get it to work with your computer. Laptops in particular are especially unforgiving of the memory that can be installed. There are different speed variations of memory, different sizes (laptops use different size than desktops). Generally you can consult with your manufacturer of your computer, or your documentation to find out what type of memory chip you need.
So, once you have the right size figured out, you have to go one step extra. You have to find out if you have the room to install more memory in your computer. Each computer has a limited amount of physical space to install the memory, and a limit to how much memory can be used. So, youll have to find out how much physical space is available, and what the impact will be if you have to switch smaller chips with bigger chips. For instance if your computer has two slots filled with 256MB chips for a total of 512MB, and you bought two 512MB chips. You would only have 1GB of memory, and the old 256MB chips will not be able to be used. Its a little complicated, but worth the trouble to figure out.
Typically you can find much of this in your users manual, or the manufacturers website. If not many of the memory manufacturers such as Kingston and Crucial have excellent websites that have the specs for most of the computers made in the last decade or two. Thats an excellent backup source of information.
Once youve done it once, youll quickly realize that upgrading your memory isnt that difficult and youll find your computing experience to be much more pleasurable. Getting a good memory upgrade can prolong the useful life of even ancient(4-5 year old) computers by allowing them to be functional for years longer. If you find your computer processes to be slowing down, and youre waiting around for what seems like hours for the most trivial tasks, exploring a memory upgrade might be an important step for you.
One of the very best upgrades you can make for your computer is to install more memory. Usually its more cost-effective than almost any other upgrade you might look at. And isnt that the purpose? To get the most bang for your upgrade buck.
Not only is installing more memory pretty cheap, most people can get it done for between $50-200. But, its also the most effective as well. It can improve your entire computing experience. From browsing the web, to doing multi-tasking, having more than one computer program running. Its especially important in families where the computer is used by different users. As that can be very memory intensive.
In todays computing world, you need at a very minimum 512MB of memory, and if youre going to be using Windows Vista, youd be better served with at least 1GB of memory. While youll find high-end systems with 2-4GB or more of memory.
However, knowing that you need memory is the easy part. Finding what memory you need for your specific computer is the hard part. It would be much simpler if it was like DVDs, every DVD runs in every DVD player. However, memory comes in different sizes, speed ratings and they are not all compatible with each other. Take note that laptop memory is generally a different size than what you can find in desktops. So, you wont find it interchangeable. The first place to look is in the users manual or any documentation you have with the computer, or on the manufacturers website.
What you must keep in mind is that sometimes its difficult to match the memory you need with the computer. You have to have the right size, and picking the right speed memory makes a difference as well. When you have a laptop the problem is especially apparent. Laptops are notorious for not having much space for memory, and being picky about the memory that will run in them. Usually the users manual or the website of the computer company can help you determine what type of memory you need to upgrade.
Typically you can find much of this in your users manual, or the manufacturers website. If not many of the memory manufacturers such as Kingston and Crucial have excellent websites that have the specs for most of the computers made in the last decade or two. Thats an excellent backup source of information.
Once youve done it once, youll quickly realize that upgrading your memory isnt that difficult and youll find your computing experience to be much more pleasurable. Getting a good memory upgrade can prolong the useful life of even ancient(4-5 year old) computers by allowing them to be functional for years longer. If you find your computer processes to be slowing down, and youre waiting around for what seems like hours for the most trivial tasks, exploring a memory upgrade might be an important step for you.
Just to be clear, we are talking about computer memory or RAM. The day is not quite here where we can upgrade our own memory with cybernetic chips. Or at least not that "they" are telling us.
Most people find that installing more memory in your computer can be quite cheap, and is usually pretty helpful. It allows you to do more tasks, more efficiently. For instance having more memory could help an excel spreadsheet to run a calculation faster. Opening up two Internet browsers wouldnt cause the whole computer to get slower. Even opening up a computer program to run it would be faster.
For the most part its best to start with at the very least 512MB, and with memory as cheap as it is these days, and with the future in mind, 1GB should be your goal. Especially if youre going to run Windows Vista or be using the computer for games or anything more than just simple web browsing and word processors. Its not uncommon today to see two to four gigabytes in your high-end computers.
The problem is not all computers are made equally. You cant just run down to your neighborhood computer store, and buy any old memory and expect that youre going to be able to get it to work with your computer. Laptops in particular are especially unforgiving of the memory that can be installed. There are different speed variations of memory, different sizes (laptops use different size than desktops). Generally you can consult with your manufacturer of your computer, or your documentation to find out what type of memory chip you need.
So, once you have the right size figured out, you have to go one step extra. You have to find out if you have the room to install more memory in your computer. Each computer has a limited amount of physical space to install the memory, and a limit to how much memory can be used. So, youll have to find out how much physical space is available, and what the impact will be if you have to switch smaller chips with bigger chips. For instance if your computer has two slots filled with 256MB chips for a total of 512MB, and you bought two 512MB chips. You would only have 1GB of memory, and the old 256MB chips will not be able to be used. Its a little complicated, but worth the trouble to figure out.
Typically you can find much of this in your users manual, or the manufacturers website. If not many of the memory manufacturers such as Kingston and Crucial have excellent websites that have the specs for most of the computers made in the last decade or two. Thats an excellent backup source of information.
Once youve done it once, youll quickly realize that upgrading your memory isnt that difficult and youll find your computing experience to be much more pleasurable. Getting a good memory upgrade can prolong the useful life of even ancient(4-5 year old) computers by allowing them to be functional for years longer. If you find your computer processes to be slowing down, and youre waiting around for what seems like hours for the most trivial tasks, exploring a memory upgrade might be an important step for you.
