How can I tell how much RAM my computer can handle?
Near the beginning of your motherboard's documentation, you should be able to find a specifications chart or page. Look for the maximum amount of RAM or System Memory that can be installed. You will also see the number of available slots on your motherboard. RAM needs to be installed in pairs.
Open the Windows Start menu, start typing About your PC, and click the option to open it when it appears. In the Device Specifications section, your total RAM capacity is displayed next to Installed RAM.
A 32-Bit OS will only support a maximum of 4GB of RAM. However, 64-Bit can support maximum RAM ranging from 128GB to 6TB, depending on the edition of the OS. For example, Windows 10 Home 64-Bit supports up to 128GB of memory while Windows 10 Pro for Workstation 64-Bit supports up to 6TB of RAM.
The easiest way to find out if your laptop's RAM can be upgraded is in Windows. Go to Task Manager > Performance > Memory and see if it uses RAM sticks under "Form factor." Look for "SODIMM." You'll also be able to see your RAM's speed and how many slots are being used.
Adding too much RAM will eventually jeopardize the computer's performance, even when you have enough of it. The additional RAM will start applying the law of diminishing returns at a certain point, meaning you won't get much value from it.
16GB of RAM is the amount of memory we recommend for intermediate users looking for extra speed and smooth functioning. This may be especially beneficial if you tend to have several programs open and running, simultaneously. This is also a good level of RAM for casual gamers and standard business professionals.
Is 64/128 GB of RAM Overkill? For the majority of users, it is. If you plan on building a PC purely for gaming and some general, basic, everyday activity, 64 GB of RAM is just too much. The amount of RAM you need will ultimately depend on your workload.
That extra processing power will help reduce the risk of stuttering, and other performance related issues. On the whole, 32GB of RAM isn't overkill for gaming if you want to play in higher resolutions, or if you can afford to future-proof your gaming set-up.
32GB of RAM is considered high and is generally overkill for most users. For most everyday use and basic tasks such as web browsing, email, and basic office work, 8GB of RAM is more than enough. Even for gaming or video editing, 16GB is typically sufficient.
Generally, the more RAM your computer has, the larger the digital countertop you have to work on and the faster your programs will run. If your computer is running slowly due to a lack of RAM, you might be tempted to increase virtual memory because it is less expensive.
Does RAM speed up your computer?
In a nutshell, installing more RAM may improve computer speed if you frequently use many programs or browsing tabs at once, or if you do memory-intensive tasks like gaming or Photoshop. Under regular use, however, a CPU upgrade will probably have a greater immediate effect on performance.
If all RAM space is used up when you have many programs open, the computer starts using the virtual memory on the hard drive, slowing down the computer a bit.

A straight and simple answer is NO. Even Overkill is a small word to describe that.
If your CPU can't take full advantage of 128GB memory, then surely it's going to be overkill. The CPUs found in servers can have much more cores found on desktops. In servers having such large memory is justified. The server used in our branch office has 32GB memory and is reasonably fast.
16GB and 32GB are more than enough for most computing tasks. For many, 32GB will be a waste of money as much of the memory would go unused. However, if you run advanced design or audiovisual applications or play FPS games, 32GB RAM is worth considering.
If you're a creative professional, however, your needs are different. Those who are rendering large files or doing other memory intensive work, should consider going with 32GB or more. But outside of those kinds of use cases, most of us can get by just fine with 16GB.
Compared to DDR4, DDR5 RAM kits have a higher base speed, support higher-capacity DIMM modules (also called RAM sticks), and consume less power for the same performance specs as the previous generation. However, DDR4 still holds some key advantages, like overall lower latency and better stability.
DDR5 vs DDR4 Gaming Performance
Modern processors and memory are more than sufficient for gaming, and the graphics card is the bottleneck in most cases. The DDR5 results clearly showed that. The performance difference in gaming between the two extremes (DDR4-2133 C15 and DDR5-6400 C36) was only around 8%.
For gamers, 64GB is certainly overkill: 16GB will be fine for new title releases in the near future. It's what else is on your PC hoovering up the memory that might require it. Browsers can eat up several gigs, particularly if you have a bunch of tabs open and extensions loaded.
If you want the absolute top speed performance, no stuttering issues, lag, or any other graphical or performance hiccups, 32GB might be your ideal of good RAM. Add to that the longevity that 32GB of RAM can provide your hardware, and you may end up saving money by not buying or upgrading new tech.
How much FPS does 32GB RAM give?
Game | FPS |
---|---|
World of Warcraft: | 103 FPS |
Call of Duty Warzone: | 81 FPS |
Apex Legends: | 143 FPS |
Fortnite: | 115 FPS |
It costs money. You could get the wrong kind of RAM and damage it or you computer or possibly slow things down (if you already had enough and the timings of the new RAM cause the old to slow down or lose multi-channel benefits). Might void your warranty. Some RAM is soldered on, so removing it would destroy the board.
RAM | ROM |
---|---|
The storage capacity ranges from 1 to 256 GB. | Its storage capacity ranges from 4 to 8 MB. |
- Open Start.
- Type Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to determine the memory type and press Enter: wmic memorychip get devicelocator, memorytype.
. Memory capacity: The more GB your memory module has, the more programs you can have open at once.
How much RAM do you need? 8 GB is the standard amount of RAM for your average desktop computer. Past that, many people go up to 16 GB, and occasionally users will go for 32 GB. RAM is contained inside "memory sticks" in your computer.
SSD vs.
RAM is usually the better option. It can increase both the type of programs you can run and the number of them that you can run simultaneously. But this only makes sense if your computer is currently low on RAM. If you already have a lot, adding more isn't going to make a big difference.
RAMMon displays the values stored on RAM module such as the memory capacity, the manufactuer, serial number, model part number, the CAS latencies supported and the module voltage.
16GB is the recommended amount of RAM for playing most games and will provide a noticeable increase in performance from 8GB. You will also be able to run applications in the background without affecting gameplay.
How to upgrade RAM on a laptop. To upgrade or add new RAM to your laptop, locate the RAM slot inside your computer and align the new RAM module to fit into position. Then, press down gently on the RAM cartridge until you hear a click signaling that the module has locked into the RAM clips inside your laptop.
Can my PC handle more RAM?
How much RAM can your PC accommodate? You can't just add more RAM to your computer without confirming a few things in advance. Every PC has two limits on its maximum RAM: its motherboard and its operating system (OS). Whichever limit is lower is the maximum RAM for your PC.
16GB is what I personally recommend to anyone asking how much RAM they need. Why? Because this amount of memory gives people enough headroom for standard tasks and is well-suited for modern games. Even if you have multiple open tabs while playing a resource-intensive title, 16GB won't hold you back.
16GB is the recommended amount of RAM for playing most games and will provide a noticeable increase in performance from 8GB. You will also be able to run applications in the background without affecting gameplay.
A 64-bit architecture, in turn, has a theoretical limit of addressing 16 million TB of memory. This difference in memory support comes from the number of different addresses expressable in a single memory word. We should remember that a computer fully maps its memory, byte by byte.