How Much RAM Do I Need? Here’s How to Choose the Right Amount [Windows 10/11]

I’ve experienced the downsides of using less RAM than I needed, and it was terrible. While the laptop at the time ran on lower-tier internals, increasing my system memory dramatically improved performance. 

If you’ve had a similar experience or are in the market for a new computer, want to install new programs or feel it’s time to future-proof your PC, I’ll help you determine whether it’s time to upgrade your RAM and show you how to identify your ideal memory size

Why Is RAM So Important?

Everything you do on your system flows through your RAM to your CPU. RAM holds information required by the processor to execute tasks.

Think about when you open multiple tabs. Every tab loaded to your system memory would remain active and not have to reload. But when there’s no more RAM space to accommodate some tasks, these webpages simply refresh.

Also, a bigger RAM size is the reason you can switch between apps smoothly without any kind of lag.

How Much Memory Do I Need for My PC?

The first step in answering the “How much RAM do I need?” question involves reviewing your use case. It could be gaming, regular browsing and emailing, computer simulation, or high-end professional work like 3D modeling and video editing.

So, take inventory of the kinds of tasks you’ll be running and account for likely future requirements of the software programs you rely on.

Further, if you’re experiencing video lags, programs taking too long to load, your computer not responding, and RAM-related issues like the diagnostic tool error, you may need to double the size of your current system memory.

Only after identifying your current and future tasks can you identify how much RAM you really need. Let’s find out.

For basic tasks

While many demanding games and applications set 8GB of RAM as their minimum requirements, you only get to play those titles in relatively lower settings without background apps running.

Even when running only work apps and streaming, you may still experience the limitations of an 8GB system memory. Opening too many tabs in your browser and running numerous apps in the background can strain your RAM and cause slowdowns.

For gaming

You also have to follow the recommended process if you’re asking, “How much RAM do I need for gaming?” Identify the types of titles you play and the graphics settings at which you play them. 

Most mainstream gamers are satisfied with decent 1080p and 1440p graphics settings. But enthusiasts and pro players want the best performance at peak 4K settings and with the highest possible frame rates.

What is the minimum and recommended RAM for gaming?

However, 32GB is the ideal RAM size for any gamer, regardless of game type and graphics settings. 

Still, people with fat budgets can go for 64GB of RAM. While it sounds over the top, that amount of memory provides the highest system resources for intense 4K gameplay, especially with games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Alan Wake II. 64GB also offers the required headroom to cater to future games that require loads of RAM.

For professional work

This category is reserved for people doing 3D modeling, video editing and rendering, and simulations. Applications required for these jobs heavily rely on high amounts of system memory, among other computing components. 

You need at least 32GB of RAM for these professional tools. However, 64GB is the sweet spot, especially for 4K rendering and editing.

Make the most of your RAM

Sometimes, you may actually not need more RAM than you currently have. Some applications may be unduly eating into system memory and causing leaks due to malfunction. Malware can also hog your RAM and cause you to start questioning whether you need new RAM or not. 

Clearing your RAM and reducing its usage can help you get rid of these problems and make the most of your installed memory. You should also know how to increase your Windows virtual memory, as it helps supplement your RAM and boost performance.

How to Check Your Current RAM

RAM size is one of the easiest things to check on Windows and other operating systems. For Windows, you can open the Task Manager (tap Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the Performance tab, and select Memory.

There are many other ways to check how much RAM you have, such as using Command Prompt, going through System Information, and opening the Settings app.

Check out our guide for more detailed information:  How To Check How Much RAM You Have

Laptops have smaller form factors and vary by manufacturer. That’s why upgrading your RAM in this case can be more complex. Still, you can find guides, especially through your laptop’s OEM website.

Benefits of Having Extra RAM?

Having the ideal RAM size is great for your applications, but having even more than that is better. These are the advantages you’ll enjoy with adequate system memory:

Faster system startups and shutdowns

There’s always a small time period when you wait for your system to fully load after you log in. That’s when it launches and runs the operating system and third-party startup services, automatically connects to your Wi-Fi, and initializes your desktop. These processes will be significantly faster when you have more RAM.

Your computer will also shut down faster with extra RAM, as it will close apps and terminate services a lot quicker.

Rapid installations

Downloading and installing applications, drivers, and even Windows updates benefit from more system memory. You’ll also be able to uninstall these components a lot faster too when there’s ample RAM to use.

Multitasking

As mentioned, the more system memory you have, the more apps and browsing tabs you can run at the same time. And it’s not just about running these apps in the background: you can easily switch between them without noticing lags, delays, and freezes.

Faster program launches

While fast SSDs are given credit for faster app launches, and rightly so, having more system memory also helps. It means it can transfer more information to your CPU within shorter periods and get it to load your programs faster.

Future software demands

Having extra RAM is a way to future-proof your computer. Your system will meet the memory requirements of subsequent iterations of software products you rely on for work. That means you won’t miss out on new features.

The current spread of AI is a good example. Most programs releasing on-device AI capabilities, like Copilot PCs, typically require more RAM.

Higher gaming frame rates

Frame rates, expressed as FPS (frame per second), indicate how many pictures your computer renders every second. Sizeable system memory significantly contributes to higher frame rates, which means smoother video quality, especially when gaming.

So How Much RAM Do You Need?

Computing requirements are becoming too complex, and even the simplest apps now require better hardware specs.

Unless you run ChromeOS and some version of Linux for light tasks, I strongly recommend upgrading from 4GB of RAM. 8GB should get you through your daily computing activities on Windows, but 16GB is the overall ideal RAM size for most people.

Please head to the comments section to tell us about your current configuration and how much RAM you believe you need.

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