Oct 29, 2007

Following last newsletter on the comparison between DDR2 and DDR3 RAMS, I received a lot of email asking me about the functionality of memory RAM. In this issue of ezine, I am going to answer the 10 most frequently asked questions on RAM.

In case you miss our last issue, you still can read the article DDR2 vs. DDR3 RAM here.

Q1: How do I tell if I need more RAM for my computer?

There are several signs indicating it may be time to upgrade your memory. If you find that your application is taking longer to load, or if your computer seems to work more slowly than you expect, you know it is time to upgrade. One of the ways to verify is to monitor your Windows Task Manager. If it is constantly running at full load, it is a sign that the computer is panting and more memory is required.

Q2: How do I tell how much RAM my system already has?

If you are using Windows XP, go to ‘Start’ -> ‘Control Panel’. In the window that shows up, select ‘System’. At the General tab, you should be able to see the amount of RAM in your system. For Windows Vista, click Start and type ‘System’ and choose ‘System’ from the list that appears in the menu above and look for the amount of "Memory (RAM)" in the box that appears.

Q3: Can I mix and match RAM in my system?

Yes, you can mix RAMs of different speed and size in your system, provided they are of the same type. You can’t mix a DDR RAM and DDR2 RAM, but you can mix a DDR2 PC 5400 512MB RAM with a DDR2 PC4200 512MB RAM.

Generally, it is not advisable to mix RAM of different speed together since the motherboard defaults to the lower speed. This means that the faster speed RAM will not be utilized fully.

Q4: How do I install RAM on my system?

I have covered the technical part of installing a RAM in my BGCG website. You can check it out at How to install memory section.

Q5: If my motherboard supports both DDR and DDR2 RAM, can I use both type of RAM on my system?

The answer is no. Although your motherboard has both DDR and DDR2 RAM slots, you can only utilize one type of RAM for your system. This is because the operating frequency is different. Installing both types of RAM will cause the system to crash.

Q6: How much RAM do I need for my ultimate gaming PC?

How much RAM your system can support really lies in the motherboard. A typical motherboard can usually support up to 4 GB of RAM while some high-end motherboard supports up to 8 GB. For the ultimate gaming PC, I would say that the bare minimum you should have is at least 512MB of RAM. In fact, 1 GB of RAM should be the ideal while 2 GB RAM should be able to last you for the next 2 years.

Q7: What is dual channel RAM?

In the past, the motherboard utilizes only one memory controller to transfer data from the RAM to the CPU. As the speed of the CPU increases, the memory controller transfer rate is no longer able to catch up with the CPU. The solution to this is to incorporate an additional memory controller to double the data transfer from the memory. This is known as dual channel architecture. To utilize dual channel architecture, the motherboard must first able to support dual channel technology. The RAMs used must also be identical, which mean same speed and storage size. Dual channel RAM must be installed in the memory module of the same color (which is in alternate position).

Q8: What is the best brand for RAM?

It all boils down to individual preferences. However, established brands such as Kingston, Crucial, and Corsair do produce quality RAMs and I would strongly recommend any of these 3 brands.

Q9: Do I have to add RAM to increase my computer performance?

Although there are many ways to boost your computer performance, the fastest and easiest way is really adding more RAM to your system. In fact, upgrading your RAM usually solves 90% of the slow PC problems.

Q10: What is CAS latency?

CAS is an abbreviation for column address strobe, which refers to the physical memory location where data are stored in the memory modules. CAS Latency is the time (in number of clock cycles) required to access the data from the address and sent it to the memory controller. The lower the CAS latency, the faster the time required to retrieve data. While the CAS latency is crucial for data retrieval, it is generally not used as an indicator for RAM performance. A low CAS latency RAM is more costly and it doesn’t give you any noticeable spike in performance. Unless you have a big budget for your computer, it is better off to spend that money on a better graphics card or sound card.

Happy gaming!

Damien