Consumer Resources:
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How adding more memory in your computer will have an impact in the overall system speed?
Adding more RAM (Random Access Memory) will give your system more resources or "space" to run multiple applications at once. Your system will be able to process more information at the same time without the need of accessing data from your hard drive.
If you observe your hard drive operating frequently and the "hour glass" cursor symbol appears on the screen for a long time, (particularly when you have a few application running at the same time), adding more memory will result in a computer that gets locked up less.
How can you determine if you have enough memory ?
The right amount of memory is likely to be different for every user, it depends on the operating system you are using and the type of applications you are running. The type of software applications you are using has a direct correlation to how much memory you need on your system to run them effectively.
Today, basic applications such as email, word processing and spreadsheet software require as little as 64MB of memory to run, however, operating systems are evolving and continue to extend their capabilities. This usually means greater memory requirements.
Here is a guideline to help you decide how much memory is optimal for your computer:
| Operating system |
Minimum |
Optimal |
| Linux |
128MB |
512MB - 1GB |
| MAC OSX |
256MB |
512MB - 1GB |
| Windows 98 |
64MB |
256MB |
| Windows 2000 |
128MB |
512MB - 1GB |
| Windows XP |
128MB |
512MB - 1GB |
| Windows VISTA |
512MB |
1GB - 2GB |
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User Type
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What we suggest |
Basic User
Slight word processing, web browsing occasional e-mail
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256MB |
Intense user / Student
Slight word processing, web browsing occasional e-mail |
256MB-512MB |
Executive / Professional
email, web browsing, word processing & spreadsheets, multimedia & presentation software, many applications running at once. |
512MB |
Advanced Professional
Multimedia software, photo-editing, video software, many applications running at once |
512MB - 1GB |
Multimedia & Graphics Design Professional
Heavy graphic applications, 3D, CAD, photo & video editing |
1GB and up |
Gamers
Latest 3D Games with powerfull 3D video card |
1GB |
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