Before we start talking about the best kind of RAM required for a gaming laptop, it’s important to understand what RAM is. RAM, or Random Access Memory, is an essential part of any gaming device.
When you add more RAM to your device, its performance improves considerably and even the frame rates get better. The DRAM (Dynamic RAM) is a type of RAM that is used for data or program coding. It helps the electronic device to function properly. The DRAM market size in quarter 3 of 2021 was 26.6 billion USD.
If you are confused about which kind of RAM to select for your gaming laptop, here are a few tips for you.
How does RAM work?
The primary purpose of RAM is to store short-term data that is required by your laptop to operate smoothly.
Every time your laptop gets rebooted, the RAM gets reset, unlike your hard drive. This basically means that your RAM is a volatile memory that is able to store information only as long as your device is running. The programs are loaded in your RAM temporarily but can stay in your storage permanently.
Your laptop requires this temporary data to execute certain file commands to run programs. Modern PC games require RAM heavily. Games are able to read and write data to RAM since the entire process is much faster than on the device storage.
RAM vs motherboard
Before you think of the type of RAM appropriate for your device you’ll have to check if it is compatible with your motherboard or not. The wrong kind of RAM will simply not function and the ones with incompatible specifications will slow down your laptop.
Module type– RAM can be in the form of sticks or memory modules that snap into the memory slots of your motherboard. If you see the RAM not fitting properly, it means that it is incompatible with that particular type of gaming computer. Motherboards of modern-day computers support DDR4 RAM. Don’t confuse DDR4 with DDR3, which is the previous-generation SDRAM.
DDR 4– Computers make use of a certain kind of RAM known as SDRAM (synchronous dynamic RAM) which is related to the frequency of your processor. SDRAM has advanced over time with advantages like lower battery consumption, faster transfer rates, and stable transmission of data. This DDR 4 SDRAM is the current standard of RAM for laptops and computers available nowadays. You can use a system profiling tool or look it up online to see if DDR 4 RAM is compatible with your device or not.
Form factor
As far as the form factor is concerned, there are two kinds available.
DIMM (Dual in-line memory module) – These are larger RAM module sticks for desktops
SO-DIMM (Small Outline dual in-line memory module) – These are modules meant for mini PCs or laptops.
RAM specifications
Coming to the specifications of the kind of RAM required for your gaming experience, here are some you should know.
Capacity – This is measured in GB or gigabytes. The higher the RAM capacity, the more data it will store. Higher-capacity RAMs are able to run many programs simultaneously and your games will also be able to store a lot more data.
Speed – Speed is measured in mega transfers per second (MT/s). This can also be used as megahertz (MHz). Higher speed ratings indicate higher transfer rates and better performance. This means that this RAM module will be able to read and write much faster.
RAM needed for gaming
This basically depends on the kind of games you play and how you play. Do you conduct a live stream or play in focused sessions?
A minimum of 8 GB RAM is considered necessary for a good gaming experience. But depending on what you play, the RAM requirements will vary. For example, the game Red Dead Redemption 2 requires at least 12 GB of RAM.
Thus, many advanced gamers prefer to use 16 GB RAM in order to play any game smoothly. If you’re planning to focus on other things apart from gaming, you can use 32 GB RAM too. This will help you to live stream, conduct Discord channels and play simultaneously.
Over to you…
These are a few pointers to help you choose the best kind of RAM for your gaming computer. You can search on Google or visit a store to get more clarity on this too.
Interesting Related Article: “How To Choose a Gaming Laptop for Your Money’s Worth?“