You might say, “I need more RAM that will make my computer go faster.” Wrong! More RAM can improve performance and there was a time when it usually would but those days are gone. Modern computers, even ones that are two to three years old, often have enough RAM for the basic tasks that users want to perform.
So how would you know if you do not have enough memory causing your system to slow down? Check out the Performance Monitor in task manager (CTRL+ALT+DEL on Windows).
In this example, we see that my computer’s available RAM is very low. We can also check Processes as a diagnostic tool. During this test, I opened excessively many Chrome tabs. If I will close some Chrome tabs, that would free up memory but if I am not willing to change my internet browsing habits adding more memory to that system would help improve performance.
Now personally, I generally notice system slowdowns when I reach around eighty to ninety percent RAM utilization but some people are more or less sensitive to this.
In this second example, there is no benefit whatsoever to adding more memory because there is enough available to the system. The slowdowns that you experienced when you run around of RAM are because your PC is swapping data out of RAM to your hard drive, which is much slower. This other system is likely slow for some other reason such as a virus or other malware or another outdated slow component.
If you are software’s fine and you have enough RAM, try adding an SSD to your system. Moving from a hard drive to an SSD can make your PC much more responsive even if it several years old.
If none of that works your might just be too much of a power user for your current PC, so it might be time for system upgrade.
NOTE: If you have an old PC, it is always helpful to have at least 3GB of RAM, which is suitable for 32-bit systems. However, if you still feel slow responsiveness especially if you are browsing on many tabs, upgrading your system will be the best option. Modern systems use high-speed and efficient RAM for modern needs.
