Adding more RAM, tips?

[Filipe]

I want to upgrade my computer, I use a lot of programs and it's been getting kinda slow, I have 8GB of ram but I want to double that ammount to make it faster, are there any possible downsides doing that or anything that I should know? The motherboard have slots for three or two more memory chips, or should I replace the ones I have? I'll add my specs in later today.

[Ad Bot]

[Unwritten Calender]

why not just download?


i think i'd just add more, not replace

[Pastrey Crust]

Add more until you have no more room, then replace.

[Filipe]

why not just download?


i think i'd just add more, not replace

I was thinking if it's required to replace my memory chips to more powerful ones, I'm out of home right now so I don't remember if I have two or three chips, if I have two I think each has 4GB.

I barely know anything about computer parts, does the memory chips have different sizes or they all follow the same size to fit equally on the same motherboard?

[Maxwell.]

https://www.piriform.com/speccy if you don't have this already

also do you have any particular ram sticks in mind? I myself am gonna upgrade my ram from 6GB soon and I am gonna replace all my sticks, but only cause 1x4gb sticks cost just as much as 1x8gb sticks, and it gives me more room for later upgrades to have 1x8gb sticks instead of 3x2gb sticks of ram in there

[Filipe]

https://www.piriform.com/speccy if you don't have this already

also do you have any particular ram sticks in mind?

Here's the thing I know jackstuff about computer parts, I just want something that has 8gb so I can stick it in and double the RAM on my computer, does the brand have to be the same from the ones I have or that doesn't matter?

[Pastrey Crust]

It's recommended for them to be the same but not exactly necessary.

[K3k0m@n]

I have 8GB of ram but I want to double that ammount to make it faster,

adding more ram doesn't make it faster, it just increases it's capacity
you can get 64gb of ram but if it's like one byte per decade then there's no point

[Zloff]

yeah, if you want speed look for high mhz + low CAS latency, not capacity

[Sheepocalypse]

Put RAM stick into RAM slot

[Filipe]

yeah, if you want speed look for high mhz + low CAS latency, not capacity

Oh ok, yeah I just want to improve the computer to be able to run more programs without slowing down like Sony Vegas for example, I know a friend who upgraded from 8GB to 16GB and told me he had a great improvement since he does multi-tasking a lot.

I know I'm probably saying stuff I don't know.

[BluetoothBoy]

adding more ram doesn't make it faster, it just increases it's capacity
you can get 64gb of ram but if it's like one byte per decade then there's no point

Although it will in turn make your computer faster performing certain operations, even if the RAM itself isn't faster.

[espio100]

I suggest buying a pack of 2x8Gb sticks and throw your old ones away sice if you buy another one the fastest will be bottlenecked to the slowest.
The type of ram (DDR2, DDR3, DDR#) depends on your motherboard. Or the one you have installed now.
If you know it buy 2x8 (or 4x8 if you would like even more) sticks and replace them. (or 2x4/1x8)
For speed anything thats 1600Mhz and above is alright.
For CAS latency you want lowest possible but the higher the speed the more the CAS too. I wouldnt pay too much attention to it.

I suggest Kingston HyperX Fury. I have those and theyre very good. They run at 1866Mhz
Or Corsair Vengeance Pro. Theyre also p fast and run at 2400Mhz

Also the speed the ram can run also depends on your CPU.  To know it just google your CPU, go to the website (for intel its ark.intel.com/something) and look under "memory specifications and search for "memorytypes". My CPU for example only supports "DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.5V" Well I have a 1866 stick so the speed will just get bottlenecked to 1600.

[Zloff]

Oh ok, yeah I just want to improve the computer to be able to run more programs without slowing down like Sony Vegas for example, I know a friend who upgraded from 8GB to 16GB and told me he had a great improvement since he does multi-tasking a lot.

I know I'm probably saying stuff I don't know.

well he may have gotten faster ram that also has a higher capacity

for component speeds in gaming, gpu > cpu > ram
and extreme multi-tasking, cpu(more cores helps) > ram > gpu(depends on the programs, really)

i guess the best way to know what you really need is to let us know what kind of programs you're running at once and what the specs of your components are. either way, if you want to upgrade ram, everything espio said is good

[BluetoothBoy]

well he may have gotten faster ram that also has a higher capacity

for component speeds in gaming, gpu > cpu > ram

Although in some odd cases RAM actually helps more. For example, when I started playing Planetside 2, my FPS was fine and I had no issues running the game... except for the fact that every five seconds I'd have massive frame drops (while moving). Although I am completely confused as to why increasing my RAM from 8GB to 16GB fixed this issue, it did and I ain't complaining.

OT: Considering most of what Filipe does (aside from games) on the computer is mod/create videos and similar graphically intensive things, more RAM will likely help him more than a CPU or GPU upgrade (unless his are terrible, which I would think not seeing as he records with shaders and shadows in Blockland just fine).