How Much RAM Do You Need for Your Computer?
If your games and programs don't have enough RAM, you'll encounter freezes, crashes, desktop crashes, and even blue screens of death. Therefore, it's crucial to ensure you have enough RAM for all your tasks. Today, we'll discuss how much RAM is needed for a modern personal computer space.
Why RAM Is Important
For efficient operation, the central processor needs to store some data in quick access. When the CPU performs an operation, it may urgently need new data. Fetching it from the hard drive, where all the PC's information is stored, takes too long. Ideally, the data should be instantly available to the CPU.
To solve this, engineers developed caches—special modules inside central processors. They store data for the CPU's quick access. However, processors are very small, and most of their internal space is occupied by computing units, making it impossible to create large cache modules. For example, even the flagship Intel Core i9-14900K has a total cache memory of less than 70 MB, which is insufficient given that games and programs can be gigabytes in size.
To address this issue, a good computer engineers created RAM modules—devices that are much faster than hard drives and do not need to be placed inside processors. RAM sticks are installed on the motherboard next to the CPU socket.
How to Determine How Much RAM You Need
You need to look at the system requirements of the games and programs you need. These requirements can always be found online.
For instance, text editors like Microsoft Word hardly load the computer and require little RAM. Even 8 GB of RAM is sufficient. Graphic design or architectural design programs are more demanding, needing at least 16 GB of RAM. Applications for sculpting, 3D modeling, or 4K video editing are very demanding, requiring at least 32 GB of RAM for stable operation. Some complex tasks, like machine learning, may even need 128 GB of RAM.
8 GB of RAM
This amount of RAM is sufficient for office computers and home PCs used for multimedia. Tasks like working in text editors, browsing the internet, watching videos, and listening to music will all run smoothly with 8 GB of RAM. This amount is also enough for older and less demanding games.
Installing less than 8 GB of RAM is only advisable for very cheap office PCs running outdated operating systems like Windows 7. Modern versions of Windows are quite demanding and need at least 8 GB of RAM for stable operation. With less RAM, you'll face freezes, crashes, and blue screens of death, and modern games won't run even at minimum graphics settings.
16 GB of RAM
This amount is enough for most modern games and programs. You can handle complex tasks such as architectural design, graphic design, and Full HD video editing without issues.
With 16 GB of RAM, you won't need to close one program to run another. You can minimize unnecessary applications and return to them without relaunching, speeding up and simplifying your work.
Additionally, computers with 16 GB of RAM are well-suited for modern gaming. Most video games don't need a large amount of RAM. However, some projects already require 32 GB of RAM for optimal performance.
32 GB of RAM
Most modern games are optimized for 16 GB of RAM. However, projects like Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, and The Last of Us Part I require at least 32 GB of RAM for stable operation at high and ultra-graphics settings. The number of such games will only increase over time. On computers with 16 GB of RAM, these projects will experience significant freezes, causing micro-freezes during gameplay that spoil the experience.
In addition to gaming, a large amount of RAM is needed for professional activities like animation creation, 3D modeling, and 4K video editing, all requiring at least 32 GB of RAM. Using less RAM is possible, but the quality of work will suffer. For example, rendering time in 3DS MAX will increase significantly, and using additional plugins in Adobe Premiere Pro may cause crashes and freezes.
What's Better: 1 Module of 32 GB, 2 of 16 GB, or 4 of 8 GB
Modern programs don't care about the number of RAM modules, but games do: the more RAM sticks in the computer, the higher the FPS.
It's all about memory bandwidth. When you install two RAM modules instead of one, dual-channel mode is activated, nearly doubling the memory bandwidth. This increases the frame rate in games and makes gameplay more stable. Freezes and FPS drops will be significantly reduced. Therefore, gaming PCs should have at least two RAM sticks.
Installing four RAM modules will also increase performance, but only by 1-3%. This is because desktop processors only support dual-channel memory. Hence, installing four RAM modules won't significantly boost performance.
To get the best performance from your computer space, ensure you have enough RAM and storage. Use my highest recommendations for a smoother experience and make the most out of your new computer space with the best possible configuration.
Conclusions
The amount of RAM significantly impacts the performance of a computer. If games and programs lack sufficient RAM, you will encounter freezes, crashes, low processor power, and sudden returns to the desktop.
The exact amount of RAM required depends on the system requirements of the games and programs you plan to use. This information is always easy to find on the internet.
- 8 GB of RAM is sufficient only for office computers;
- 16 GB of RAM is enough for most modern games and programs;
- 32 GB of RAM will suffice even for the most demanding games and applications.
Considering the purchase of 64 GB or more of RAM only makes sense if you engage in very complex digital activities, such as machine learning.
RAM in HYPERPC Computers
We install at least 16 GB of RAM in gaming and professional computers to ensure smooth and stable PC performance.