What oz is better to take. RAM for laptop DDR3. How to choose? RAM manufacturer

When buying a flash drive, many people ask themselves the question: "how to choose the right flash drive." Of course, choosing a flash drive is not so difficult if you know exactly for what purposes it is purchased. In this article I will try to give a complete answer to the question posed. I decided to write only about what to look for when buying.

A flash drive (USB drive) is a drive designed to store and transfer information. The flash drive works very simply without batteries. You just need to connect it to the USB port of your PC.

1. Flash drive interface

At the moment there are 2 interfaces: USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. If you decide to buy a USB flash drive, then I recommend taking a USB 3.0 USB flash drive. This interface was made recently, its main feature is a high data transfer rate. We'll talk about speeds a little later.

This is one of the main parameters that you need to look at first. Now flash drives are sold from 1 GB to 256 GB. The cost of a flash drive will directly depend on the amount of memory. Here you need to immediately decide for what purpose a flash drive is bought. If you are going to store text documents on it, then 1 GB is enough. For downloading and transferring movies, music, photos, etc. you need to take the more, the better. To date, the most popular are flash drives with a capacity of 8GB to 16GB.

3. Body material

The body can be made of plastic, glass, wood, metal, etc. Flash drives are mostly made of plastic. There is nothing I can advise here, it all depends on the preferences of the buyer.

4. Transfer rate

Earlier I wrote that there are two standards USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. Now I will explain how they differ. The USB 2.0 standard has a read speed of up to 18 Mbps and a write speed of up to 10 Mbps. The USB 3.0 standard has a read speed of 20-70 Mbps, and a write speed of 15-70 Mbps. Here, I think, nothing needs to be explained.

Now in stores you can find flash drives of different shapes and sizes. They can be in the form of jewelry, fancy animals, etc. Here I would advise taking flash drives that have a protective cap.

6. Password protection

There are flash drives that have a password protection feature. Such protection is carried out using a program that is located in the flash drive itself. The password can be set both on the entire flash drive, and on part of the data in it. Such a flash drive will primarily be useful to people who transfer corporate information in it. According to the manufacturers, if you lose it, you don't have to worry about your data. Not so simple. If such a flash drive falls into the hands of an understanding person, then hacking it is just a matter of time.

Such flash drives look very beautiful, but I would not recommend buying them. Because they are very fragile and often break in half. But if you are a neat person, then feel free to take it.

Conclusion

Nuances, as you noticed, a lot. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. In my opinion, the most important parameters when choosing: the standard of a flash drive, the volume and speed of writing and reading. And everything else: design, material, options - this is just a personal choice of everyone.

Good afternoon my dear friends. In today's article, I want to talk about how to choose the right mouse pad. When buying a rug, many do not attach any importance to this. But as it turned out, this moment needs to be given special attention, because. mat determine one of the indicators of comfort while working at a PC. For an avid gamer, choosing a rug is a completely different story. Consider what options for mouse pads have been invented today.

Mat options

1. Aluminum
2. Glass
3. Plastic
4. Rubberized
5. Double sided
6. Helium

And now I would like to talk about each species in more detail.

1. First, I want to consider three options at once: plastic, aluminum and glass. These mats are very popular with gamers. For example, plastic mats are easier to find commercially. On such mats, the mouse glides quickly and accurately. And most importantly, these mats are suitable for both laser and optical mice. Aluminum and glass mats will be a little more difficult to find. And yes, they will cost a lot. The truth is for what - they will serve for a very long time. Rugs of these types have small flaws. Many people say that they rustle and feel a little cool when used, which may cause discomfort for some users.

2. Rubberized (rag) mats have a soft glide, but the accuracy of their movements is worse. For ordinary users, such a rug will be just right. Yes, and they are much cheaper than the previous ones.

3. Double-sided mousepads are, in my opinion, a very interesting kind of mousepads. As the name implies, these rugs have two sides. As a rule, one side is high-speed, and the other is high-precision. It happens that each side is designed for a certain game.

4. Helium pads have a silicone cushion. She allegedly supports her hand and relieves tension from it. For me personally, they were the most uncomfortable. By appointment, they are designed for office workers, since they sit at the computer all day. For ordinary users and gamers, these mats are not suitable. The mouse slides very poorly on the surface of such rugs, and their accuracy is not the best.

Mat sizes

There are three types of rugs: large, medium and small. It all depends on the taste of the user. But as is commonly believed, large rugs are well suited for games. Small and medium ones are taken mainly for work.

Rugs design

In this regard, there are no restrictions. It all depends on what you want to see on your rug. The blessing now on rugs that only do not draw. The most popular are the logos of computer games such as DotA, Warcraft, ruler, etc. But if it happened that you could not find a rug with the pattern you need, do not be upset. Now you can order a print on the rug. But such rugs have a minus: when printing is applied to the surface of the rug, its properties deteriorate. Design for quality.

On this I want to end the article. From myself I wish you to make the right choice and be happy with it.
Who does not have a mouse or wants to replace it with another, I advise you to look at the article:.

Monoblocks from Microsoft have replenished with a new monoblock model called Surface Studio. Microsoft presented its new product recently at an exhibition in New York.

On a note! I wrote an article a couple of weeks ago where I reviewed the Surface monoblock. This monoblock was presented earlier. Click on to view the article.

Design

Microsoft calls its new product the thinnest monoblock in the world. With a weight of 9.56 kg, the thickness of the display is only 12.5 mm, the other dimensions are 637.35x438.9 mm. The display dimensions are 28 inches with a resolution greater than 4K (4500x3000 pixels), aspect ratio 3:2.

On a note! The display resolution of 4500x3000 pixels corresponds to 13.5 million pixels. This is 63% more than 4K resolution.

The monoblock display itself is touch-sensitive, enclosed in an aluminum case. On such a display, it is very convenient to draw with a stylus, which ultimately opens up new possibilities for using a monoblock. In my opinion, this monoblock model will appeal to creative people (photographers, designers, etc.).

On a note! For people of creative professions, I advise you to look at an article where I considered monoblocks of similar functionality. Click on the selected one: .

To everything written above, I would add that the main feature of the monoblock will be its ability to instantly turn into a tablet with a huge work surface.

On a note! By the way, Microsoft has another amazing candy bar. To find out about it, go to.

Specifications

I will present the characteristics in the form of a photograph.

From the periphery, I note the following: 4 USB ports, a Mini-Display Port connector, an Ethernet network port, a card-reader, a 3.5 mm audio jack, a 1080p webcam, 2 microphones, a 2.1 Dolby Audio Premium audio system, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. It also supports Xbox wireless controllers.

Price

When buying a monoblock, it will be installed with Windows 10 Creators Update. This system should be released in the spring of 2017. This operating system will have updated Paint, Office, etc. The price of a monoblock will be from $ 3,000.
Dear friends, write in the comments what you think about this monoblock, ask your questions. I'll be glad to chat!

OCZ has demonstrated new VX 500 SSDs. These drives will be equipped with Serial ATA 3.0 interface and are made in 2.5-inch form factor.

On a note! For those who are interested in how SSD drives work and how long they live, you can read in an article I wrote earlier:.

The novelties are made using 15-nanometer technology and will be equipped with Tochiba MLC NAND flash memory microchips. The controller in SSD drives will be used by Tochiba TC 35 8790.
The VX 500 drive lineup will consist of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. According to the manufacturer, the sequential read speed will be 550 Mb/s (this is for all drives in this series), but the write speed will be from 485 Mb/s to 512 Mb/s.

The number of input / output operations per second (IOPS) with data blocks of 4 KB in size can reach 92,000 when reading, and 65,000 when writing (this is all arbitrary).
The thickness of OCZ VX 500 drives will be 7 mm. This will allow them to be used in ultrabooks.

Prices of new products will be as follows: 128 GB - $ 64, 256 GB - $ 93, 512 GB - $ 153, 1 TB - $ 337. I think in Russia they will cost more.

Lenovo has unveiled its new IdeaCentre Y910 gaming all-in-one at Gamescom 2016.

On a note! Earlier, I wrote an article where I already considered gaming monoblocks from different manufacturers. This article can be viewed by clicking on this one.

The novelty from Lenovo received a 27-inch frameless display. The display resolution is 2560x1440 pixels (this is QHD format), the refresh rate is 144 Hz, and the response time is 5 ms.

The monoblock will have several configurations. The maximum configuration includes a 6th generation Intel Core i7 processor, a hard drive up to 2 TB or 256 GB. The amount of RAM is 32 GB DDR4. The video card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 or GeForce GTX 1080 with Pascal architecture will be responsible for the graphics. Thanks to such a video card, it will be possible to connect a virtual reality helmet to the monoblock.
From the periphery of the monoblock, I would single out the Harmon Kardon audio system with 5-watt speakers, the Killer DoubleShot Pro Wi-Fi module, a webcam, USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, and HDMI connectors.

In the basic version, the IdeaCentre Y910 monoblock will be available in September 2016 at a price of 1800 euros. But the monoblock with the version of "VR-ready" will appear in October at a price of 2200 euros. It is known that this version will have a GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card.

MediaTek has decided to upgrade its Helio X30 mobile processor. So now the developers from MediaTek are designing a new mobile processor called Helio X35.

I would like to briefly talk about Helio X30. This processor has 10 cores, which are combined into 3 clusters. Helio X30 has 3 variations. The first - the most powerful - consists of Cortex-A73 cores with a frequency of up to 2.8 GHz. There are also blocks with Cortex-A53 cores with a frequency of up to 2.2 GHz and Cortex-A35 with a frequency of 2.0 GHz.

The new Helio X35 processor also has 10 cores and is being created using 10nm technology. The clock frequency in this processor will be much higher than that of its predecessor and ranges from 3.0 Hz. The novelty will allow you to use up to 8 GB LPDDR4 RAM. The Power VR 7XT controller will most likely be responsible for the graphics in the processor.
The station itself can be seen in the photographs in the article. In them we can observe the drive bays. One bay with a 3.5" jack and the other with a 2.5" jack. Thus, both a solid state disk (SSD) and a hard disk drive (HDD) can be connected to the new station.

The dimensions of the Drive Dock station are 160x150x85mm, and the weight is no less than 970 grams.
Many people probably have a question about how the Drive Dock connects to a computer. The answer is: this happens through a USB 3.1 Gen 1 port. According to the manufacturer, the sequential read speed will be 434 Mb / s, and in write mode (serial) 406 Mb / s. The novelty will be compatible with Windows and Mac OS.

This device will be very useful for people who work with photo and video materials at a professional level. You can also use Drive Dock to back up files.
The price for a new device will be acceptable - it is $ 90.

On a note! Previously, Renduchinthala worked at Qualcomm. And since November 2015, he moved to a competing company Intel.

In his interview, Renduchintala did not talk about mobile processors, but only said the following, and I quote: "I prefer to talk less and do more."
Thus, the top manager of Intel made an excellent intrigue with his interview. We just have to wait for more announcements in the future.

If you decide to buy additional RAM for your computer, read the article with interesting information.

Navigation

Random access memory (RAM) is needed for a PC to store data. With its help, the OS and all programs installed on the device work. The volume of this block should be enough, if it is not enough, then the device will “fail” and “slow down”. RAM for a PC is the same as RAM for a laptop, so when purchasing this unit, you should consider the same recommendations that will be given in the article. How to choose the right RAM, read below.

How to choose the right and what kind of RAM for a computer?

Buy memory from well-known brands in the IT field:

In addition, consider the following:

• For office PC buy one 4 GB DDR4 block with a frequency of 2400 MHz.
• A PC with high-capacity games and programs installed, will work fine with a single 8 GB DDR4 block at 2400 MHz.
• Powerful PC You will need 2 blocks of 8 gigabytes.
• On an old model PC (32nd OS version) do not install more than 3 gigabytes. Of course, you can put 4 gigabytes, but support will be provided only for 3 "gigabytes", that is, the OS will be comfortable only with this volume.
• For old model PC (64-r. OS version) you can install any amount of memory. But, if you have an outdated printer with a PC, then you will not buy drivers for this OS for it.

Important: Before buying additional memory for an older PC, install 64-p. OS version. Then check the functionality of all devices and utilities. It is also worth remembering what modular systems and amount of RAM the motherboard supports. This is easy to see on the manufacturer's resource.

There are such types of OZ devices for PC:

• DDR SDRAM is a modern block. It is still updated by the creators. It adds new technological elements for excellent functionality.
• Blocks DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 are obsolete types. They are not installed on updated computer operating systems.
• RAM DDR4 is a powerful memory with good characteristics.
• DDR2 memory has a higher price than DDR3 or DDR4, almost four times. Therefore, it would be more expedient and economical to purchase a new motherboard and memory unit.

Remember: Each type of OZ device must be placed in a separate compartment. DDR3 RAM is installed only in a motherboard with DDR3 and 4 bays.

Memory features include:

Frequency

• Influences the high-speed operating mode.
• Now, mostly users buy DDR4 2400 MHz blocks.
• They have good support for cutting-edge processors and motherboards.
• Today, manufacturers offer blocks with high frequencies from 3000 MHz to 3600 MHz. The motherboard should also support this speed. But there are still few boards that are ultra-modern, even those that are on the shelves of IT stores today.
• Buying an expensive high-frequency unit and an ultra-modern motherboard is worth it if you use a gaming or professional PC with a powerful processor.

Timings

Timings are pauses between reading, writing and copying data in the PC memory.

• These delays should be small, but the speed of the memory is affected not by these indicators, but by the frequency.
• Another important indicator is latency.
• It should be 9 for DDR3 1333 MHz, and 16 for DDR4 high frequency OZ device. These numbers are indicated, as shown in the figure above, after the CL latency.
• Low-latency RAM costs a lot more, but this is a case where you don't need to skimp.

Power supply voltage

This indicator can be different - standard or increased. It is important if you want to insert multiple OZ device blocks into a PC. In this case, the voltage readings should be the same as those of the already installed RAM blocks on the device. Otherwise, there may be difficulties with the functioning of the equipment. The standard voltage should be:

Marking memory blocks

Memory marking marks indicate its type and frequency. This is how the marking of obsolete and new memory looks like:

Memory modules for laptops

Such modules for a laptop will be almost the same as modules for a regular PC. The only difference is the size of the module. It is marked like this: SODIMM DDR. As for a PC, laptop memory can have the following types: DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR3L, DDR4. There are no differences in other parameters. It is worth remembering that only 1 or 2 slots are installed in laptops. This device has a limited capacity. Therefore, before buying memory, check all the necessary parameters.

Memory packaging

It is better to buy this unit in an individual sealed package from the manufacturer. Due to this, the probability of damage will be low, which means that the memory will be of high quality.

How much free RAM and hard disk space do you need to function correctly on a Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10 computer?

The Windows system itself can be located on 250 MB. But in order for all programs to work normally, videos to load, or even capacious games to fit, then much more megabytes will be needed. It all depends on the OS version. For correct operation, you need free memory:

• Windows XP- 1 GB is the minimum. If you want to install capacious games, then you need at least 2 GB of free disk space.
• Windows 7- Minimum 2 GB, and for optimal performance - 4 GB.
• Windows 8 and 8.1- at least 2 GB. This volume is enough to use browsers on the Internet, watch videos. If you also want to download modern games and programs, then a minimum of 4 GB is required. But it is better to put 8 GB, there will be a good speed of the PC or laptop.
• Windows 10, as well as previous modern models of this OS, will fit in 2 GB. But it is unlikely that with such a Windows you will only want to watch movies and read blogs on the Internet. Games, programs and much more will fit perfectly if there is at least 4 GB of memory. But so that there are no “brakes” at all, then put 8 GB or better 16 GB.

Now you can choose the amount of memory you need for your device. Pay attention not only to the price, but also to other parameters, as mentioned above. Good luck!

Video: Everything about RAM in one episode!

There is never too much RAM. However, any computer has a certain limit on the amount of RAM and for laptops this limit is somewhat less than for desktop computers. Not all laptops have easy access to RAM slots and not always additional modules can be installed independently. In addition, many modern mobile systems have a fixed amount of RAM that cannot be upgraded.

How much memory do you need for a laptop?

When choosing the required amount of RAM, they are usually guided by the system requirements of the software that will be used on the laptop. The amount of RAM that is required for the normal operation of the program is usually indicated as a minimum and recommended amount. Naturally, it is better if you have the opportunity to install RAM in the recommended amount or more.

• minimum: 4 gigabytes
• optimal: 8 gigabytes
• better if: 8 gigabytes or more

These volumes are well suited for general purpose laptops. If you are using some specific, resource-demanding software, then when choosing the amount of RAM, it is better to refer to the documentation.

Many laptops come with integrated graphics cards that use some of the RAM as VRAM. The video adapter can use from 64 megabytes to 1 gigabyte of RAM.

Types of RAM for a laptop

Almost all laptops on the market today are equipped with DDR3 RAM. DDR4 began to gradually appear on desktop systems. When choosing RAM modules, you should also pay attention to the speed of the memory. The overall performance of the laptop greatly depends on this indicator.

Memory speed is indicated in two ways. In the first case, the type of memory and the operating frequency are given. For example DDR3 1333 MHz. In the second case, indicate the type of memory and bandwidth. That is, DDR3 1333 MHz memory can be listed as PC3-10600. Below is a list of memory where the speed is given from highest to lowest:

• DDR4 3200 / PC4-25600
• DDR4 2666/PC4-21300
• DDR4 2133/PC4-17000
• DDR3 1600 / PC3-12800
• DDR3 1333/PC3-10600
• DDR3 1066/PC3-8500
• DDR3 800 / PC3-6400

If the operating frequency of the memory is known, then it is quite easy to find out the bandwidth. To do this, just multiply the frequency by 8. Keep in mind that bandwidth is sometimes rounded off, so dividing it by 8 does not always result in whole numbers.

RAM limit

Laptops usually have two RAM slots. There are usually 4 on the motherboard of desktop computers. As such, laptops are more limited in the amount of RAM that can be installed. That is, taking into account the limitations of modern DDR3 technology, a maximum of 16 gigabytes of RAM can be installed on a laptop. And this is provided that the laptop motherboard supports memory modules with a capacity of 8 gigabytes. Most often, the maximum amount for laptops is 8 gigabytes of RAM. Some ultra-portable systems don't offer the option to expand the RAM at all.

What should I pay attention to when buying RAM modules for a laptop? First of all, you should find out what maximum amount of RAM the laptop supports. After that, you should clarify how many slots for RAM are on the motherboard and how many memory modules are already installed. That is, if your laptop has 4 gigabytes of RAM, you should clarify whether 1 module of 4 gigabytes or 2 modules of 2 gigabytes each is installed. If 1 module is installed, the upgrade is greatly simplified, since you only need to buy one additional module. It is advisable to purchase an additional module from the same manufacturer. The memory modules must be the same size and the same speed.

Can I install memory modules myself?

Many laptops have a special hatch on the bottom surface for accessing the RAM slots. If there is such a hatch, then self-replacement and upgrade of RAM modules is not particularly difficult.

If there is no such hatch, then there is a possibility that the upgrade of the RAM of this laptop is not possible. Or, to access the RAM modules, you need to disassemble the laptop itself. In this case, it is better to contact qualified specialists.

A lot of readers on our site are interested in questions one way or another related to the choice of RAM and our site has a very great desire to answer everyone. To make it interesting for you in the process of gaining knowledge, this article is presented by the author in the form of a fascinating story from which you will learn EVERYTHING about computer RAM!

You will learn not only how to choose and buy RAM from a quality manufacturer, but also how to properly install RAM modules in your computer and much more, for example:

1. How much RAM does a modern computer need for the comfortable operation of all resource-intensive applications, for example: modern games at maximum settings, video and sound processing programs, etc. What should be a powerful modern computer?
2. (follow the link and read a separate article).
3. (follow the link and read a separate article)?
4. What way out does the operating system find when there is a shortage of RAM?
5. Does the computer benefit from an excess of RAM?
6. Do you need to completely disable the paging file if you have a large amount of physical RAM, for example 16 -32 GB?
7. How much better is dual-channel RAM than single-channel. Which is better to buy, one stick of 8GB memory or two sticks of 4GB?
8. How to choose the right memory modules for dual-channel operation?
9. What is the frequency of RAM and is it possible to install RAM sticks with different frequencies in a computer?
10. What is the latency (timings) of RAM? Is it possible to install RAM sticks with different timings in a computer?
11. What is the difference between the RAM sticks used on laptops and regular RAM?
12. Nowadays, DDR3 memory is actively used, but are there DDR4 memory sticks on sale?
13. If you have an old computer and want to buy DDR2 RAM, then think a few times, because DDR2 memory is expensive, maybe you should replace the motherboard, processor and change the RAM to DDR3.
14. How to choose a manufacturer of RAM and is all RAM made in China?
15. Do I need to overclock the RAM and how much will the performance of the RAM increase with overclocking?
16. Is a heatsink really necessary for RAM?
17. What is a RAM controller, why is it needed and where is it located?
18. What does the ECC RAM marking mean?

How to choose RAM

Friends, in the last article we considered the issue of choice and I thought about what article to write next. It seems to be logical after the processor to choose a motherboard for it, but I usually do it differently. After choosing a processor, I choose a memory and a video card, I don’t know why, it’s probably so easy and I can immediately figure out how much to expect, since choosing a motherboard is the most difficult part of choosing a computer configuration. In view of this, I decided not to deviate from the tradition I have chosen and devote this article to the choice of random access memory (RAM). Since this site is dedicated to the repair of personal computers, of course, the choice of RAM will be considered not only for new, but also for older PCs.

Like choosing a processor, choosing RAM is not at all a difficult task, probably even easier. But, as elsewhere, there are nuances. Often the choice of RAM comes down to its current price and the amount you are willing to spend. Recently, the trends in price changes for RAM modules are very ambiguous. A few years ago there was a real boom in increasing the amount of RAM in personal computers. And this was due not so much to the growing requirements of modern applications and operating systems, but to an incredible reduction in the price of it.

A 4 gigabyte (GB) memory stick could be purchased for as little as $25 or less. As a result, solely for marketing purposes (for greater attractiveness and increase in sales of computers), this very memory began to be “shove” into new computers in huge volumes. So, the cheapest system unit, costing about $200-250, necessarily had 4 GB of memory, and the average one for $300-350 had all 8 GB. The sellers in the stores put a lot of emphasis on this, while silently saying that such a memory capacity will never be realized (fully used) by this PC, since the rest of the “stuffing”, such as the processor and video card, left much to be desired. This, in fact, was a kind of deception of buyers or, to put it beautifully, a marketing ploy ...

Unfortunately, the times have passed when it was possible to stock up on RAM “for free” at the very least, and now the price for it has increased significantly. It seems that we have again been "hooked" on the needle of technological progress ... But do you really need a large amount of RAM?

How much RAM does a modern computer need

I must say that until recently, I was fond of modern computer games. Therefore, I always tried to keep my PC up to date. Probably, since I built my first full-fledged PC in 1997, not a single year has passed that I would not treat myself to purchasing a new video card, processor or memory.

In those old (by the standards of computers) times, there was a certain division on the use of operating system components by computers. Games only needed a powerful graphics card, some RAM, and the processor didn't really matter, since all the calculations were done by the graphics card, which has both its own processor and its own memory.

To encode video, on the contrary, a powerful processor and a sufficient amount of RAM were needed, but the video card did not matter, etc. Modern gaming applications, on the other hand, have “learned” to make full use of the powerful components of modern computers that were “idle” before, such as a processor and RAM.

When it comes to using the PC as a gaming and entertainment platform, then, until recently, I did not come across games that could even load at least 3 GB of memory at 100% even at maximum graphics settings. But in some cases, the total memory usage approached this figure, despite the fact that the game itself consumed about 2 GB, and the rest was other applications such as skype, antivirus, etc.

Note: Please note that it was not about 4 GB, but about 3. The fact is that 32-bit Windows operating systems (OS) cannot use more than 3 GB of RAM and therefore they simply “do not see the “surplus” ... In fairness, it should be noted that for 32-bit OS built on the Linux kernel, there are no such hard limits. So, friends, there is no point in putting more than 4 GB of memory on a 32-bit Windows, they simply will not be used.

For not very new, but also relatively old systems, on which you can put a lot of memory, using a 64-bit OS, in some cases, can be problematic. Since 64-bit versions of drivers for some equipment may simply not exist.

Not so long ago, just at the time of the total reduction in the cost of memory, I purchased the same amount in addition to my 4 GB. But this was not caused by its shortcoming, but by the fact that on my rather powerful motherboard, due to some misunderstanding) there were slots for the already almost obsolete DDR2 memory and I was afraid that a little more and it might completely disappear or wildly rise in price, and then such a “freebie” ... After that, I switched to a 64-bit operating system, because otherwise this acquisition would not look so reasonable). It should also be taken into account that I have a fairly powerful 4-core processor and an expensive modern video card, thanks to which I can play games at very high graphics settings, at which RAM consumption is maximum.

If you have an entry-level or mid-range PC, then 4 GB of RAM will be enough for you., since you can comfortably play modern games only at low or medium settings, which do not require large amounts of memory. In such conditions, installing, say, 8 GB of RAM is money thrown away. But if your PC is powerful enough and is a gaming PC, then I would still recommend installing 8 GB, as there is some tendency for modern games to gradually increase the consumption of RAM.

So, for example, the recently released game Call of Duty: Ghosts simply refused to start if it detected that you had less than 6 GB of RAM installed. Again, in fairness, it should be noted that craftsmen made a fix that allows you to bypass this limitation at launch and the game worked.

Regarding 64-bit operating systems, then you should know that it, like all 64-bit applications, consumes exactly 2 times more memory than 32-bit ones. Here it is already fully justified by memory addressing technology and significantly improves performance.

How fast should a computer be?

We will not go into details, but you must understand that in order to feel the increase in speed, the following conditions must be met:

The central processing unit (CPU) must have a 64-bit architecture, the operating system must be 64-bit.

The application that you want to use to improve the performance of certain operations must be 64-bit, the data that is processed must be streaming (video conversion, archiving), since the speed gain is achieved by processing more information in one pass. In this case, the increase will be very significant - up to 2 times. Under these conditions, using an Intel processor (with a longer pipeline) will give you the best possible performance for such operations. But, as you know, in games, data is transferred in small portions (since it is impossible to predict the next step of the user), therefore, even in those games where there are 64-bit versions of the game engine to run, there will be almost no increase. And yet the decisive role of the video card in them has not gone away.

As for professional use, in areas such as video editing, 3D modeling, design, specialists in these areas know exactly what kind of hardware and how much memory they need. Usually it is from 16 GB and more. And if, say, in 3D modeling there is no streaming data processing, then here simply the volume and quality of models can be so high that a bunch of RAM is “stupidly” needed to place this model.

If you are not a professional, but really like to convert video, then 4-8 GB is enough for you.

Truly huge amounts of RAM can be required in scientific systems and highly loaded servers. In the latter, for example, the amount of memory from 64 GB is considered quite common. But the memory there is not cheap - server (with parity check and automatic error correction), since failures on them are not allowed.

Well, for example, I will give a situation from my real life. When I was training in networking and system administration, I often had to emulate a large number of simultaneously running operating systems and network equipment. Such bundles as 5-10 operating systems running in VirtualBox (or VMware) + the same number of emulated network devices in GNS can eat decently RAM. And it’s good if, in addition to a powerful processor that supports modern virtualization technologies, there will be 8-16 GB of “RAM”, otherwise the brakes are provided ...

Why can't you turn off the swap file?

What happens when there is not enough RAM? Yes, it's very simple - the OS, in order to compensate for the lack of memory, begins to actively use the hard disk (the so-called paging file). By the way, God forbid you turn it off. The operation of the system is very deeply tied to the paging file, and disabling it will cause more problems than good. As a result, not only the work of the processor is slowed down, but also the hard drive.

There is only one conclusion - there should be enough memory, if it is not enough, the computer starts to slow down terribly, but its excessive excess does not give any performance increase.

What is RAM

What kind of memory does not exist ...

A board with memory chips is usually called a memory module (or "bar"). There are single-sided and double-sided memory modules. On the first, the chips are placed on one side of the printed circuit board, on the second, on both sides. What's better? I don’t know) There is an opinion that double-sided modules “chase” better, read further in this article about what this means. On the other hand, the fewer chips, the higher the reliability of the module. I have seen cases more than once when one side of the chips failed on the bar and the computer saw only half of its volume. But now I would not focus on this.

The main thing you need to know is that if there are several memory modules in the computer, then it is desirable that they all be either single-sided or double-sided. Otherwise, the memory does not always get along well with each other and does not work at full speed.

To date, the most modern is DDR3 memory., which replaced the older DDR2, and it, in turn, is even older - DDR. A new, more modern DDR4 memory has already been developed, but it has not yet reached the masses. We will not go further.

When building a new PC, you should choose only the latest memory standard. At the moment it is DDR3.

Sometimes replacing the motherboard and acquiring a new type of memory is equivalent in price to adding an old type of RAM to an old board.

The new memory will also be much cheaper than the older DDR2, for which greedy manufacturers and sellers “beat” (keep) a high price, since there is not enough of it left and for those who want to upgrade a PC there is simply no other choice but to agree to such draconian conditions. In this case, it is worth considering, or maybe add a little and buy more promising components? And if you still sell the old one, you can generally get a plus, if you're lucky, of course)

laptop memory

Notebooks use the same memory as PCs, but have a smaller module size and are called SO-DIMM DDR (DDR2, DDR3).

Memory characteristics. Frequency and timings

Memory is characterized primarily by type. For desktop computers (desktops), memory types are used today: DDR, DDR2, DDR3.

The main characteristic of memory is its frequency. The higher the frequency, the faster the memory is considered. But this frequency must be supported by the processor and motherboard, otherwise the memory will work at a lower frequency, and the money that you overpaid will go down the drain.

Memory modules, as well as its types, have their own marking, which begins with PC, PC2 and PC3, respectively.

Today, the most common memory is DDR3 PC3-10600 (1333 MHz). It will run at its native frequency on any computer. In principle, the speed of the computer is not strongly limited by the memory frequency. For example, in games this increase will be absolutely indistinguishable, and in some other applications it will be more noticeable. But the difference in price, for example, in comparison with DDR3 PC3-12800 memory (1600 MHz) will be very small. Here I usually follow the rule - if the price is slightly higher ($ 1-3) and the processor supports a higher frequency, then why not - we take a faster memory.

Is it possible to install sticks of RAM with different frequencies in a computer?

The frequency of the RAM does not have to match, the motherboard will set the frequency for all the brackets according to the slowest module, but very often a computer with brackets of different frequencies is unstable. For example, it may not turn on at all.

Timings

The next memory performance parameter is the so-called delays (timings). Roughly speaking, this is the time that has passed from the moment the memory was accessed to the moment the necessary data was issued to it. Accordingly, the lower the timings, the better. There are dozens of different delays in reading, writing, copying, and various combinations of these and other operations. But there are only a few main ones that you can navigate.

Timings are indicated (though not always) on the label of memory modules in the form of 4 numbers with hyphens between them. The first and most important is latency, the rest are derivatives of it.

The delays depend on the quality of the memory chips. Accordingly - higher quality - lower timings - higher price. However, it is worth noting that timings affect performance much less than memory frequency. Therefore, I rarely attach importance to this, only if the price is approximately the same, you can take memory with lower timings. Usually, modules with ultra-low timings are positioned as top-end ones, come with heatsinks (which we will talk about later), in beautiful packaging and are much more expensive.

Marking of the main types, memory modules, their frequency and typical latency (CL)

DDR - obsolete (completely)

DDR-266 - PC2100 - 266 MHz - CL 2.5

DDR-333 - PC2700 - 333 MHz - CL 2.5

DDR-400 - PC-3200 - 400 MHz - CL 2.5

DDR2 - obsolete (sometimes still found and can be used to add to an old PC)

DDR2-533 - PC2-4200 - 533 MHz - CL 5

DDR2-667 - PC2-5300 - 667 MHz - CL 5

DDR2-800 - PC2-6400 - 800 MHz - CL 5

DDR2-1066 - PC2-8500 - 1066 MHz - CL 5

DDR3 - modern

DDR3-1333 - PC3-10600 - 1333 MHz - CL 9

DDR3-1600 - PC3-12800 - 1600 MHz - CL 11

DDR3-1800 - PC3-14400 - 1800 MHz - CL 11

DDR3-2000 - PC3-16000 - 2000 MHz - CL 11

Is it possible to install RAM sticks with different timings in a computer?

Timings also do not have to match. The motherboard will automatically set the timings for all the brackets according to the slowest module. There shouldn't be any problems.

Memory modes

Yes, yes ... Perhaps not everyone knew, but RAM can operate in different modes, the so-called: Single Mode (single-channel) and Dual Mode (dual-channel).

In single-channel mode, data is first written to one memory module, and when its capacity is exhausted, it begins to be written to the next free module.

In dual-channel mode, data writing is parallelized and written simultaneously to several modules.

Here, friends, the use of dual-channel mode significantly increases the speed of the memory. In reality, the speed of memory operation in dual-channel mode is up to 30% higher than in single-channel mode. But in order for it to work, the following conditions must be met:

Motherboard must support dual channel RAM

Memory modules must be 2 or 4

Memory modules must be either all single-sided or all double-sided

If any of these conditions are not met, the memory will only operate in single-channel mode.

It is desirable that all the bars be as identical as possible: they have the same frequency, latency, and even be of the same manufacturer. Otherwise, no one can give any guarantees for the operation of the two-channel mode. Therefore, if you want your memory to work as fast as possible, it is highly advisable to immediately purchase 2 identical memory sticks, because after a year or two you will not find exactly the same one.

Another question is if you need to increase the amount of memory on an old computer. In this case, you can try to find the most similar memory module to the one you already have. If you have 2 of them, and there are 2 more free slots on the motherboard, then you will have to look for 2 more of the same modules. An ideal, but not always economical option is to turn in the old memory as used and buy 2 new identical modules of a larger capacity.

Of course, if your old computer is very weak, then there may not be much gain from dual-channel mode. In this case, you can install any module, but it is still better to choose the most suitable one in order to exclude its possible conflict with old modules and the complete inoperability of the computer. Try to arrange a return with the seller in advance or bring a system manager to him and let him try to find a suitable module.

RAM controller

It should be noted that before the memory controllers were in the chipset (logic set) of motherboards. In modern systems, memory controllers are located in processors. In this regard, the dual-channel memory mode has 2 more submodes: Ganged (paired) and Unganged (unpaired).

In paired (Ganged) mode, memory modules work the same way as in old motherboards, but in unpaired (Unganged) each processor memory controller (there are 2 in modern processors) can work separately with each bar. This mode can be set in the computer's BIOS, but is usually selected automatically by the processor. If the bars are identical, then Ganged (but not necessarily), if they are different, then only Unganged. In any case, the memory will work in dual-channel mode. But I still recommend buying and installing 2 identical modules at once, this will eliminate distortions in their parameters and improve compatibility.

The dual-channel mode of operation of RAM has only one drawback - 2 memory sticks are somewhat more expensive than one of the same volume. Therefore, many stores and private assemblers save and set the bar. As a result, we have a modern computer that does not work at full capacity.

Some modern expensive motherboards, which usually have 6 memory slots, can even work in three-channel mode.

By the way, if you have 2 or 3 memory sticks, then in order for the two-channel or three-channel mode to work, all these sticks must be inserted into slots of the same color.

Some desktop memory modules have the abbreviation ECC in their markings..

This is memory with parity, a technology used in server systems. You should not pay any attention to this, since this technology is not critical in desktop PCs and, in most cases, does not work at all. It's all the same marketing ploy.

Memory connectors

There is nothing to talk about here at all. Each type of DDR, DDR2, DDR3 memory has its own slot on the motherboard of the same type (DDR, DDR2, DDR3). You will not insert one type of memory into another type of memory, since there is a special ledge (key) in the motherboard slot,

Which should line up with the slot on the memory module board. This is just done so as not to accidentally confuse and install the bar in the wrong slot and, as a result, not disable both the memory and, possibly, the motherboard. When buying memory, you need to know exactly what type of memory the motherboard supports.

About RAM heatsinks

Some memory modules are equipped with so-called heatsinks, which are overlays of aluminum plates, sometimes painted in copper or other colors, on both sides of the board. These overlays are connected to the memory chips through special thermal pads, which are designed to better transfer heat from the chips to the heatsinks. Radiators can have additional fins to increase the cooling area and even better heat dissipation.

In practice, memory chips during normal operation heat up slightly and do not require additional cooling. Gaskets between chips and heatsinks don't transfer heat as well as thermal paste between a CPU and a cooler. In addition, in the free space between the board and the heatsinks there is an air gap that interferes with natural cooling and eventually becomes clogged with dust, which is difficult to clean from there. This design provides for active cooling with an additional fan or good airflow inside the case. In addition, such modules can often cost more.

So who needs such joy, you ask? Well, ask me)

Answer: enthusiasts who are always short of everything, who want to overclock everything, overtake everyone, etc. In addition - it's just beautiful) Yes, friends, if you consider yourself to be in this group of users, then such a memory is for you! Because such a cooling system will be effective only with sufficiently high heating as a result of overclocking with an increase in voltage and mandatory additional airflow. Remember - conventional memory operating in normal mode does not need heatsinks.

An example of the correct use of memory with heatsinks in a powerful system

Overclocking RAM

Overclocking is a slang word in the computer lexicon, which means manually setting more aggressive parameters for the operation of electronic components, such as processors, memory, and video cards, than are provided by the manufacturer. As a rule, such parameters are the frequency (in processors there is also a multiplier). With particularly high overclocking, for relatively stable operation of these components, the voltage is also increased. As a result, higher heating of the elements occurs, requiring improved cooling. The so-called overclocking itself is possible thanks to a certain margin provided by the manufacturer so that the product works stably, and not at the limit of its capabilities, or especially for advanced users) In any case, this event makes the entire system less stable and reduces the life of overclocked components . If you still decide to experiment, then first study all aspects well and act strictly according to the instructions. By the way, if components fail as a result of overclocking, you may lose your warranty.

RAM manufacturers

Like other components, memory modules are manufactured by many manufacturers. And, as always, they have different quality. I recommend paying attention to the following brands that have an optimal price / quality ratio: AMD, Crucial, Goodram, Hynix, Kingston, Micron, Patriot, Samsung, TakeMS, Transcend.

Enthusiast brands include: Corsair, G.Skill, Mushkin, Team. These companies produce a wide range of modules with heatsinks and high performance. I recommend avoiding cheap Chinese brands: A-Data, Apacer, Elixir, Elpida, NCP, PQI and other little-known manufacturers.

Memory modules that are not made in China deserve special mention. Currently, there are not many of them, for example, modules that are labeled as Hynix Original and Samsung Original are made in Korea. The quality of such modules is considered higher, they cost a little more, but usually have a longer warranty (up to 36 months).

In fairness, it should be noted that even if you purchased the memory of a well-known and proven brand, this, unfortunately, does not mean that you will not come across defects or modules damaged during transportation. Of course, in the products of top brands in individual packaging, there will be less defects (damage) than in the cheapest modules that are transported and sold in bulk.

Memory module in individual packaging

How to choose memory for a new computer

First of all, choose the most modern type of memory in use. Today it is DDR3. Decide on the volume you need. Briefly summarizing this article, I will give general recommendations on the minimum amount of RAM for PCs of different purposes:

For an office or weak home PC - 2 GB

4. It is better to select the most identical straps (one-sided or two-sided), with the same frequency and latency. The ideal option is to sell the old memory as used and install a new one in the right amount.

5. If you put memory with a higher frequency than your processor or motherboard supports, then it will work at a lower frequency.

Make the right choice with us friends, and no dust for you, no breakdown)

This information is for those who want to increase the amount of RAM in their laptop or desktop computer, but at the same time doubt which model, with what characteristics to buy.

There are quite a few nuances in this issue, here we will consider the most basic points that will allow you to choose the optimal planks for the upgrade.

To begin with, is it necessary in your case to increase the amount of RAM?

What gives an increase in RAM in a computer

The speed of the computer depends on the "bottlenecks" of your hardware. For example, if you have a very powerful processor but a slow hard drive, the system will take a long time to boot, and programs, for example, even a regular web browser, will start with a noticeable delay of several seconds. In this case, the bottleneck is the hard drive - and it is useless to install an even more powerful processor / video card / additional RAM - all this will practically not affect the speed of system boot and application launch until you change your slow hard drive to a fast one (for example, to SSD).

In what cases may you need an increase in RAM - when do you need to buy additional brackets to increase the amount of RAM?

A sign of low RAM is that your computer slows down when you open multiple programs that consume a lot of RAM. For example, if after opening a lot of web browser tabs or after launching Photoshop, your computer starts to run noticeably slower, then it is very likely that this is due to a lack of RAM.

Operating systems use a swap file (partition). The essence of this lies in the fact that when the system runs out of RAM, it releases it by writing part of the data to the hard disk. As a result, the system does not stop and data is not lost - but performance drops, since any hard disk is slower than RAM and additional time is also required to write and read data.

Another example when a lot of RAM is required is the use of virtual machines (in, for example) - especially when several virtual computers are running at the same time:

How do I know which RAM is right for my computer

My own experience is that a computer can work well with sticks of RAM from different manufacturers and with different characteristics. But some users have problems (the system stops booting) if there is an incompatibility between the modules of the two manufacturers. Therefore, the ideal option is to see which modules you already have installed and buy exactly the same ones. If this is not possible due to the fact that exactly such models are discontinued, then it is recommended to select the ones that are as close as possible in terms of characteristics.

A program for determining the manufacturer and model of RAM installed in a laptop / computer

In a desktop computer, it is usually not difficult to find out the manufacturer and model of RAM - just open the cover of the system unit and remove one of the modules.

In laptops, it's usually more difficult - it's good if the engineer designed empty sockets for easy access, but, as a rule, you can't get to the pre-installed RAM without disassembling the laptop.

In any case, for desktop computers or laptops, you can find out the installed memory model using the program. To do this, go to the tab Motherboard, then SPD and at the very top you will see the manufacturer and model of the RAM:

Next, check the number of free slots - there are motherboards with a total of two slots for RAM, but more often desktop computers and laptops have four slots, usually two of them are already occupied.

You can view the total number of slots and the number of free slots using standard Windows tools. To do this, open Task Manager, go to tab Performance, then select Memory:

As you can see, there are four slots and all of them are already occupied.

RAM specifications

There are different types of RAM, the most common now:

It is clear that DDR4 is the newer and faster option, but not all motherboards, especially those released a few years ago, support DDR4.

Sometimes, a hint about the modules that suit you can be seen on the motherboard:

The inscription DDR3 ONLY indicates that only DDR3 is suitable in this case.

RAM form factor:

• SODIMM

SO-DIMMs are smaller strips for portable computers (laptops). DIMM - brackets for desktop computers.

Memory modules have their own frequency. The higher the frequency, the faster the memory. But if the system has bars with different frequencies, the system will use them all at the frequency of the slowest module.

Supply voltage: for modules, the voltage varies from 1.2 V to 1.65 V. It is better to take RAM with the same voltage that is already in the system, because otherwise one of the modules will start to heat up more.

Timings are numbers characterizing delays.

In principle, in addition to the obvious characteristic - the amount of memory, all technical parameters are listed that you need to pay attention to when upgrading the system.

Don't go for a higher frequency than the module in your system, as already mentioned, they will all run at the frequency of the slowest one.

To select modules with the same characteristics as those already installed in your computer, you need to know the characteristics of the installed ones. This information can be found online for your model. Or use specialized programs that show a variety of information about the installed RAM.

How to find out the characteristics of RAM modules in a computer

The AIDA64 program contains all the necessary information.

In the same window where we looked at the manufacturer, you can find information such as:

• Module type
• Memory type
• Memory speed (frequency)
• Voltage
• Timings

The considered characteristics should be enough so that you do not have to bear to change the RAM immediately after purchase for the reason that it did not fit.

Purchase for bonuses "Thank you from Sberbank"

The following information does not apply to the technical part. But I got my new RAM modules for half their store price, and since Sberbank cards are very common, I'm sure someone else will be able to take advantage of this opportunity.