How to know the size and speed of RAM on the computer
Random Access Memory (RAM) is an integral part of any computer's hardware. It is the main memory that the computer uses to quickly run open applications and files.
The rule of thumb is that the larger the RAM, the more tasks you can accomplish at once at the same time, as it directly contributes to facilitating the ways for the central processing unit (CPU) to access data.
Like almost all electronic components, RAM improves and becomes faster over time as manufacturers make efforts to develop computer RAM.
Therefore, modern computers will have faster RAM than old computers. Based on this principle, we will review with you in this article some methods that enable you to know the size of the RAM in your computer and its speed as well.
Before we get into the methods, let’s give a quick overview of RAM. This is the memory where all the applications, files, and other data that you have opened while using the computer are stored in order to save time in processing data.
RAM is different from data storage units such as HDD or SSD which are much slower when compared to random access memory. In other words, when you run a program or open a file, it is temporarily transferred from the computer's storage unit to RAM so that the processor can access it later when needed.
Of course, the more memory your computer has, the more tasks you can do at once. Conversely, if you don't have enough RAM for open applications and programs, your operating system will slow down because Windows or any other system has to transfer data to and from the PageFile on your hard drive. You may suddenly see a message while you're working on programs that says you're low on memory and you need to reduce the number of tasks you're doing to solve the problem.
Generally, the amount of RAM you need depends on what you use your computer for. For example, you will need more RAM to play the latest PC games, run virtual machines, or edit high-quality videos.
How to check RAM size on Windows
If you are using Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 on your computer, you can find out the size of the RAM through the Task Manager tool that comes by default with the system. All you have to do is right-click on the taskbar at the bottom and then select Task Manager from the menu. Alternatively, press the Ctrl, Shift and Esc keys together on your keyboard to launch the tool directly.
If this is your first time running the Task Manager tool on your computer, click the More Details button to view the full main interface of the tool. Now go to the Performance tab and select Memory in the left pane.
You can then see the total amount of RAM at the top of the window, and the tool also tells you what generation of RAM you are using (if it is DDR3 or DDR4), as well as the speed, the number of memory slots available on the device, the current memory consumption rate... and other very useful information.
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But if you are using an older version of Windows, say Windows XP or 7, the Task Manager will not provide you with this useful information about your computer components as it does with newer versions.
But you can still check the amount of RAM if you go to Control Panel, then System and Security, then System page. Or right click on My Computer icon on the desktop and choose Properties from the drop down menu.
In the window that will appear in front of you, focus on the "Installed Memory" section, where the total size of the random memory is in front of it. But if you find another size next to it followed by the word usable as in the image above, this means that the Windows system is not using this size in full, and we have previously prepared a dedicated topic about this point that you can review from here >> Why does the computer not read the full size of the RAM ?
Although the previous method works on all versions of Windows, old and new, without exception, it does not provide many details other than the total size of the computer's RAM.
Unlike this method, we will use a tool that is also built into Windows called System Information, which you can easily run by pressing Win + R keys together on your keyboard to open the Run tool, where you type the command msinfo32.exe and press Enter to run System Information tool immediately.
In this window, scroll down until you reach the Installed Physical Memory section, which displays the total amount of RAM, but if you look below this section, you will get more information, such as the size actually used and the size reserved for the PageFile file.
To see more information about every detail of the RAM you use in your computer regardless of the version of Windows you are using, you should rely on an external tool. Here we recommend downloading and installing the CPU-Z tool , then running it and clicking on the “Memory” tab to see this information.
Note that this information is generally displayed in the UEFI or BIOS screen as well. This is especially useful if you are using a computer without a working operating system. Simply turn it on, use the keyboard shortcut to enter the BIOS (which is different for each computer), and look for information about the system memory or RAM.
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