Get That New PC Feeling Without a Buying a New Computer

Get That New PC Feeling Without a Buying a New Computer

The number one complaint we hear most often is “My computer is so slow“.  And while there are many things you can do to help speed up your PC, if it doesn’t have enough RAM it’s not going to be fast.

Why will your computer be slow if it doesn’t have enough RAM?

One reason why insufficient RAM can cause your computer to run slowly and programs to open slowly or freeze, is because of the way Windows is designed. When your computer runs low on RAM (Random Access Memory) it increases available memory by using virtual memory. Virtual memory uses free hard drive space to create additional memory. And even if your PC has an SSD (Solid State Drive) virtual memory is slower than installed RAM. And if your computer has a traditional hard drive (HDD) virtual memory is very much slower than RAM.

A lesson from EB from back in the Windows 95 era is still valid today

I can remember when I first met EB my PC had 16 MB (that’s right MEGABYTES) or RAM it was constantly timing out, crashing, and was just awful to use. EB told me the best thing I could do is add more RAM. She directed me to Crucial.com and told me how to find the right RAM for my PC. I bought 64 MB of RAM (the maximum for that PC). When it came I was so afraid to install it. I had read warnings about static electricity that I read about and I was scared I was going to blow up that computer. Luckily, the RAM came with a “how to install” guide. I held my breath, EB walked me through the installation and when I was done I turned my computer on, and WOW! Amazing! It was so fast it seemed like a new computer.

Ever since then, I (and EB) have been proponents of RAM. Having enough RAM is the best way to ensure your computer is fast.  And if you’re one of the many who are contemplating buying a new computer, maybe you save your money and upgrade your computer’s RAM.

I can’t tell you the number of PCs I’ve worked on that had only 4 GB of RAM, but there have been many. And when a computer is slow even after I’ve cleaned and optimized it, then I know – even without looking – that the computer does not have enough RAM.

4GB of RAM is not enough for a Windows PC no matter what anybody tells you… 8GB of RAM is the bare minimum and we recommend 12 to 16GB

No matter what Microsoft, HP, Dell, ASUS, Acer, Lenovo, and all the others say, 4GB is not enough RAM. You should have at least 8GB of RAM preferably 12GB or 16 GB. However, 8GB is the minimum RAM you should have if you want your computer to be “fast”.

How to find out how much RAM your computer has

Two easy ways to find out how much RAM you have:

Type ABOUT YOUR PC in the Taskbar search and press Enter. Look for “Installed RAM”

Or press the Windows key +R, type MSINFO into the Run box, and press Enter. Look for “Installed Physical Memory”…

The maximum amount of RAM your computer can use depends on the motherboard. So how do you find out how much RAM your computer can use? We use Crucial’s system scanner to find out and you should too.

Crucial is a well-known manufacturer of computer memory and storage devices. They have a tool called the “Crucial System Scanner” that scans your computer and tells you what kind of RAM you need and the maximum RAM you can install on your computer.

When you visit Crucial.com, you’ll see something like this…

Get that new PC feeling

Does your slow PC need a boost? Millions of customers have trusted the Crucial System Scanner to find memory and storage upgrades. In minutes, learn how much memory and storage your PC or Mac can support, then buy 100% guaranteed compatible upgrades with confidence.

If you have less than 8GB of RAM and want to add RAM to your computer,  run the Crucial System Scanner and wait a couple of minutes for the scan results.

After the scan completes, you’ll see the type of RAM you need and the maximum RAM your computer can use.

In my case, the maximum RAM that one of my computers can handle is 12 GB. But since I have only one RAM slot to use (because 4GB is not removable) I can replace one 4GB  RAM chip with an 8 GB RAM chip to bring my total RAM to 12 GB.

Most of the time Cruical will have the RAM you need in stock and ship it to you for free. In this case, Crucial didn’t have the RAM I needed (it was out of stock) so Crucial gave me several alternatives. I chose Newegg because I’ve purchased from them before and I’ve been satisfied.

Surprisingly, the 8GB RAM chip for my eight-year-old ASUS was less than $10 with free shipping! But let’s be honest… RAM normally costs more than that. But you can be sure that you’re going to spend a whole lot less on RAM than you will on a new computer. Most times, RAM for newer computers will cost between $35 and $100 depending on the amount of RAM and the type. And Crucial always gives you free shipping.

Now you’re wondering how hard is it to install. It’s not hard at all. If you can use a screwdriver, you can install RAM.

Here are two videos showing you how to install RAM on a laptop and a desktop.

Laptop first…

Desktop next…

If you’re using a Windows 10 computer, you still have just about a year to use Windows 10 before Microsoft ends support for it  If it is compatible with Windows 11 you don’t need to go out and buy a new computer but you might want to add more RAM.  And if you have a computer with Windows 11 that came with only 4 GB of RAM, do yourself a favor and add at least 4GB of RAM to it. You’ll be glad you did. And if it came with 8GB of RAM consider upgrading to 12GB or 16GB of RAM.

You can get that new computer feeling without the new computer cost by adding more RAM.

Just so you know…We are not affiliated with Cruical.com and we do not receive a commission or any compensation from them. We have used them many times and we have been very satisfied with their products and their service.

Thanks for reading!