If you realize that your computer has started feeling sluggish, then maybe it is time to check the RAM.
Maybe apart from being sluggish, freezes as well. You also sometimes get messages about low memory in a form of an error message.
Some people do not even know the amount of RAM that their computer is running on. In today’s article, we will be showing you how you can check to see the amount of RAM that your computer is running. First of all, let us look at what RAM is.
Table of Contents
What Is A RAM?
The abbreviation ‘RAM’ stands for ‘Random Access Memory. The RAM is a type of fast storage that is used by your computer to hold data for a short time.
This is different from ROM that holds data that you will need until you delete it. This means that, when you have more RAM, then your computer will be able to handle more work at once without getting sluggish or slowing down.
However, in today’s rapidly advancing world, a lot of laptop computers have their RAMs soldered to the motherboards. This means that such laptops cannot have their RAMs upgraded. If you want a higher RAM, then you would have to buy a new machine with bigger RAM.
However, if you are using a desktop computer, then you will not have to face a situation like that because desktops do not have their RAMs soldered in.
This means that you can add more RAM whenever you feel like doing so. All you will need to do is to find a memory stick that is compatible with the machine you are using.
Before you go ahead and spend over GHS 300 on a new memory stick, you should check to see if your machine is really in need of a new stick.
Maybe instead of getting an upgrade for your Ram, you can get to find out that the current one you have is sufficient and that, you should look at getting maybe an SSD instead. Read on to see how to know the size of the RAM you have on your computer.
How To Check Your RAM On Windows 10
For those who are using windows 10, it is easy to check your RAM. Just go to ‘settings’ then to ‘system’ and then to ‘about’. Once there, look for the ‘device specification’ section.
There will be a line with the name ‘installed RAM’. There, you can see how much RAM your machine is running on.
Checking Your RAM On Windows 7
If you are still on the decades-old windows 7 OS, you might want to think about upgrading because Microsoft support for this OS has ended. To check the RAM, follow these steps.
Right-click on my computer and choose ‘properties’
Under ‘system’ you will see the amount of Ram on your computer right there
Checking The RAM On Mac
Those using a mac can check the amount of RAM on their machines quite easily. All you have to do is to click on the apple logo which can be found on the upper left corner side of the display.
Now choose ‘about this mac’. You will see a simple list of the specs of your machine. This will include the amount of Ram that your machine is running on at the moment.
We all know that having a Ram of 4GB is now something that is not ‘cool’ anymore. 4GB RAM is now regarded as not enough because of the advancing nature of computers and their various apps. If the Ram is 16GB and above, then that is ok.
If you notice that your computer has begun to slow down, just press Ctrl+Shift+Esc. This will bring up the windows task manager so that you will be able to check by clicking on the ‘performance’ tab.
Conclusion
It is quite sad that modern macs do not come with upgradeable RAM so in this case, you will probably have to think about getting a new mac.
When you encounter a slow down while using your Mac, press Command + Space. This will bring up the spotlight. Type in ‘active monitor’ and then press on ‘enter’.
Now click on the memory tab at the top of the window. There will be a graph showing you the amount of RAM that is in use at that moment.
