Does my Computer Need More Memory
Find out once and for all whether your computer has enough memory for your daily usage or if it's time for a RAM upgrade.
Read moreWhen it comes to adding system memory requirements, the general rule of thumb is the more, the better. On average, doubling the amount of memory in your system will give you sample "space" to work and will make an obvious difference in overall speed. This is especially true with today's memory-hungry applications such as office programs, multimedia editing packages, and graphics-intensive games for which more RAM is needed. More memory allows you to run more programs at once, and our favorite programs will be easier to use. But how much memory (RAM) does your computer actually need?
Learn more about how to find computer memory that is compatible with your computer.
It's not always easy to diagnose insufficient memory, so here are some simple yet telling signs that your computer could benefit from a memory upgrade.
If any of these symptoms sound familiar to you, you may need to add computer memory:
Computer manufacturers often fail to fully populate the installed memory capacity in the systems they sell because they want to keep the price down. For example, if a desktop can hold 32GB of RAM, it often comes with 4GB or 8GB. With plenty of space for more memory, an upgrade is not only easy, it will provide a measureable boost in performance. There is almost always room to improve. Let's see how much RAM is in your system:
If your computer is a PC, here's how to find out on Windows® 10:
If your computer is a Mac® system, here's how to find out on OS X® Sierra
Look at the "Installed memory" to see how much RAM is installed.
How you use your computer influences how much RAM you need. We recommend 4BG for casual internet browsing and emails, at least 8GB for intermediate people using spreadsheets and flash games, then at least 32GB for gamers. Not enough RAM will slow your computer.
If this is how you use your computer | Here's how much memory we recommend |
---|---|
Casual User![]() |
At least 4GB |
Intermediate User![]() |
At least 8GB |
Professional user / Gamer / Graphic designer![]() |
At least 32GB |
Although a computer will run an operating system with the minimum requirements, the response time will be poor. Switching between programs or running programs with complex graphics will cause noticeable slowdowns. Any future upgrades might require higher minimum requirements, as well. You will want to have more than the minimum required memory.
Operating System | Minimum Requirements | We recommend |
---|---|---|
Microsoft© Windows©10 64-bit | 2GB | 8GB |
Adobe© Windows©10 32-bit | 1GB | 3GB |
Adobe© Windows©8 64-bit | 2GB | 8GB |
Adobe© Windows©8 32-bit | 1GB | 3GB |
Adobe© Windows©7 64-bit | 2GB | 8GB |
Adobe© Windows©7 32-bit | 1GB | 3GB |
Mac© OS X Sierra | 4GB | 8GB |
Mac© OS X El Capitan | 2GB | 8GB |
Mac© OS X Yosemite | 2GB | 8GB |
Mac© OS X El Mavericks | 2GB | 8GB |
Mac© OS X High Sierra | 2GB | 8GB |
Mac© OS X Mojave | 2GB | 8GB |
Design and photo software requires a great deal of RAM to run smoothly and process graphical elements quickly. Having too little memory will leave you watching endless progress bars.
Software | Minimum Requirements | We recommend |
---|---|---|
Adobe© InDesign© | 2GB | 16GB |
Adobe© Illustrator© | 1GB | 16GB |
Adobe© Photoshop© | 2GB | 32GB |
Adobe© Premiere© Pro | 8GB | 32GB |
Adobe© After Effects© | 4GB | 64GB |
When deciding how much memory you need, consider what you use your computer for, the operating system needs, and any software you use that is particularly memory-hungry. Installing the right amount of RAM will enable you to multi-task with ease.
Find out once and for all whether your computer has enough memory for your daily usage or if it's time for a RAM upgrade.
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