Increase PC performance and double your performance by adding RAM
Increase PC performance and double your performance by adding RAM
Suppose you have a well-made notebook in your hands: its performance is not bad but you would like to get something even better. For the back-to-basics cycle let’s see why doubling the RAM allows you to double the performance of your PC.
By now, most laptops integrate 8 GB of RAM memory, a “must” for any user who uses a Windows-based system.
In our article on the best notebook 2023, you can find many ideas with some PCs that far exceed the 8 GB of RAM.
Here, if you double the 8 GB of RAM supplied by the manufacturer when you purchase your PC, you can increase your PC’s performance by 100%. How is it possible?
First of all, let’s start with some measurements: with the same processor (upgrading the RAM from 8 to 16 GB the processor does not change…) in the single thread the improvement obtained by doubling the RAM is certainly interesting but it is even more so in multithreaded.
If you try to benchmark with GeekBench before and after the RAM upgrade, you will usually find that single thread performance is very similar, for example, with 8 and 16GB but using a multithreaded approach you may find a marked improvement.
Running specific benchmarks on RAM (these tools usually allocate a certain amount of data in memory and then free up the occupied spaces by repeating the operation over and over again, in rapid succession) we realize that as the number of threads and of the size in Megabytes of the memory block used, the performance differences between the 8 GB and 16 GB configurations become really significant, obviously to the advantage of the latter.
Double the performance: the importance of the Dual Channel
A PC with 8GB of RAM often ships with a single memory module installed on its motherboard. In this case, we speak of a Single Channel configuration: there is only a single communication channel with the processor. The processor, therefore, can access the contents of the RAM memory only through this channel.
In the Dual Channel configuration, however, the RAM memory is organized into two separate channels: the memory modules are divided into two groups, each of which is connected to a separate communication channel with the processor.
The result is that the processor can access two groups of memory modules simultaneously, doubling the available memory bandwidth.
In the article where we explain how to choose the RAM we said that to take advantage of the Dual Channel configuration (but also Triple Channel or Quad Channel, where available) it is important to buy the same RAM memories.
Obviously, we are not referring only to the capacity of the single module but also to the type of RAM memory (example: DDR4), the clock frequency in MHz, and the latency times ( timings ).
With the Dual Channel scheme, when your system is running heavy workloads and you need to access data stored on both memory modules simultaneously, you can do so while maximizing performance.
As confirmed by the benchmarks, in fact, the best performance is obtained when using applications that make extensive use of multithreading and use large amounts of RAM memory.
Extending the RAM memory beyond the real needs is generally not recommended but it could make sense, as mentioned, precisely with the intention of improving the performance of the machine by activating at least the Dual Channel.
Unfortunately, some manufacturers continue to sell notebooks with only one memory module installed in a single slot among those available, not to mention systems that see the RAM memory chips soldered onto the motherboard.
What information is shown on the RAM memory label
The label of a RAM memory contains several important pieces of information regarding the technical specifications of the memory module. Among the most common information that can be found on the label of RAM memory are:
The memory capacity. The amount of RAM memory available in the module is usually expressed in Gigabytes (GB).
The clock speed. The operating speed of the RAM memory is expressed in MHz.
The type of memory. There are different types of RAM memory, including DDR3, DDR4, DDR5, SDRAM, RDRAM,…
The timings. They indicate how fast RAM memory can respond to certain input signals. The times include the CAS Latency Time (tCL), RAS To CAS Read/Write Delay (tRCD), RAS Precharge Time (tRP), and Cycle Time (tRAS): they respectively express the time between receipt of the activation signal and memory access, the time between activating the row/column in memory and reading or writing the data, the time between preparing the memory access and actually reading or writing the data (recharging of the memory) and the time required to locate a datum in a memory cell and then make it available.
The supply voltage. The label indicates the supply voltage required by the RAM memory to function properly.
How to check the RAM memory configuration on your PC
In the guide for choosing RAM memory, we have seen how to ascertain whether the memory is working in Single Channel or not and above all the configuration of the occupied slots.
Windows, you can write Information about your PC in the search box to find, next to the item RAM installed, the total amount of memory present.
By pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC then moving to the Performance tab and finally selecting Memory you can not only have a pulse of how the RAM is occupied as applications are opened and closed but also realize the number of slots present (and how many of them are employed). The indication ” 1 of 2 ” confirms that the PC in use uses a single memory module in Single Channel.
Increase PC performance and double your performance by adding RAM
In Windows 11 the Performance tab corresponds to the second icon from the top in the left column while in Windows 10 Performance it is visible immediately below the menu bar.
Software like HWiNFO64, is also available in a portable version (it does not require installation), shows much more information: by clicking on the item Memory in the left column of the main window, you will find the unequivocal indications Memory channels supported and Memory channels active .
Increase PC performance and double your performance by adding RAM
With a click on Row you can access the characteristics of each single mounted module.
