Keeping your computer at peak performance is what every gamer wants. Gamers want to be able to enjoy every tiny nuance that is included in a game from the graphics to the real-time interactions with other users online.
There are countless immersive open world games to get lost in, and they have advanced to the point of eliminating load screens, which puts a large load on your computer. When you have the right amount of random access memory (RAM), you will forget that load screens exist.
What You Need to Know About RAM
While it is an important aspect for gaming, RAM is not the only component that matters. When it comes to graphics and overall processing, components such as the motherboard and graphics card play a key role in the performance of the games. The focus here will be on RAM and how it will affect your computer.
What does RAM do?
RAM acts as the middleman to quickly transfer information from your hard drive to the processor. RAM is mostly helpful when it comes to loading screens and handling the overall load of the game. To get a more in-depth understanding of RAM and how it affects gaming, check out this video from GamingBolt.
Games
When it comes to old-school games, you don't need as much RAM as for the modern games that are currently in production. For a lot of classic games, or games in classic styles such as Undertale, you will need about 4 gigabytes (GB) of RAM. When you start to get into modern games — especially open-world styles of games — you will need larger amounts of RAM. Having 8 to 16 GB of RAM is perfect for loading modern games and what they require.
Streaming
If you are running multiple programs at a time, such as a game and a streaming program, you will need a higher count when it comes to your RAM. If you have 16 GB, you are actually doing fairly well, depending on the game you are streaming. Say, if you have a larger game that requires more RAM that could create some lag and issues with your streaming and make it less seamless. But anywhere from 16 to 32 GB will leave you in a solid setting for streaming.
Background Programs
When you want to have the best gaming experience possible, it is usually wise to shut down any programs you will not be using. Programs such as Spotify and Google Chrome are known for creating large caches that take away from the RAM that can be used by the rest of the computer. If you download playlists and use Spotify in an offline mode, this should help with any problems like this.
RAM Options
There is much more that could be said regarding RAM, but with these helpful thoughts in mind you can determine your requirements more easily. Remember to determine what you plan to use your computer for before you choose the amount of RAM you need.
8 GB
If you have 8 GB of RAM in your computer, you will be able to run a majority of modern games. It would be wise to only run the game and shut off other programs in the background. If you look into the requirements of the programs you have installed on your computer you will be able to tell what can run at once without slowing your device.
Best for: Basic Gaming
Pricing: $40.99 and up
16 GB
When you start to get into the higher-quality games, 16 GB has become more than enough to be able to handle most modern releases. Very few games have pushed the limit of 16 GB. That being said, more and more games are starting to require those high amounts of RAM. If you also are interested in streaming, having 16 GB will be great depending on the streaming program you like to use.
Best for: Higher-Quality Games and Light Streaming
Pricing: $55.99 and up
32 GB
Having 32 GB of RAM is only necessary if you are experienced or wanting to become experienced with doing crazy feats with your computer. If you like to run a large amount of mods on your games while streaming and using your computer for a bunch of different tasks, 32 GB will accommodate you. At this point, some other part of your computer will give out before you reach the limits of the RAM.
Best for: Complete Overkill
Pricing: $129.99 and up
The Limits of Your Imagination
At the end of the day, when you come home from school or work and want to destress by playing 1 of your favorite games, the last thing you want is to wait for your game only for it to turn out buggy and eventually crash. When you have the right tools in your computer, you will have an easier time enjoying what you love.
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