DISCOUNT COMPUTER MEMORY BUYING GUIDE
Computer memory is called RAM (Random Access Memory). Although RAM is
the storage place of data, the data is volatile. Once the computer is
rebooted or switched off, the memory is gone.
Heres how it works. Firstly, data from secondary storage (mentioned
below) would be sent to the RAM. RAM is useful for the CPU to have
quick access to the data frequently to perform tasks. The CPU would
fetch these data as it needs them. Therefore, the more RAM you have
as reserve, the faster your tasks would be done.
Memory that is permanently stored is called secondary storage.
Secondary storage comes in various forms, such as
hard disk,
floppy disk, and optical disk.
Types of RAM
The type of RAM depends on the type your motherboard can support.
Nowadays, the standard type of RAM is DDR, which is faster than the
older types, SIMM, DIMM, RIMM, EDO, and SD RAM.
Sizes / Capacities of
RAM
RAM comes in memory modules. As of this writing, 128 MB of RAM is
considered the minimum, for light use like word processing and Internet
access. If you can afford it, I recommend that you get at least 512
MB. You can multi-task (use more than one program at the same time)
without affecting much of the speed of each program.
The maximum amount of RAM per bank also depends on how much your
motherboard can support. Also, check the number of memory banks that
your motherboard has to know the limit you can buy.
If your motherboard has built-in video with shared memory, then you need
to allocate some RAM for it. Refer to Video
Card section for more details
Bandwidth of RAM
The bandwidth of RAM reflects how fast it runs. The typical speed of
RAMs is 266 MHz, 333 MHz, and 400 MHz. Needless to say, the faster your
RAM is, the more instructions the CPU can perform. You also have to
check the maximum speed that your motherboard can support. |