AB9IL.net: Windows 10 Performance with RAM Upgrade

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Windows 10 works well, but it works really well on performant hardware. If you are currently computing on a modest computer, consider one of the simplest and most effective upgrades: memory. Surprisingly, many computers are sold to individuals and businesses without enough memory to allow applications to work to their full potential. Also, if you are upgrading your CPU to a model with more cores, consider adding RAM so that you may enjoy speedier multithredad applications.

TYPE    Prefetch    Data Rate           Transfer Rate
        (Bits)      (Mega Trans/Sec)    (Giga Bytes/Sec)

DDR2    4 Bit        533 -  800          4.2 -  6.4
DDR3    8 Bit       1066 - 1600          8.5 - 14.9
DDR4    8 Bit       1600 - 3200         17.0 - 25.6
DDR5    8 Bit       3200 - 6400         38.4 - 51.2

Initial DDR5 max data rate around 4800 mega transfers per second.

Upgrading the class of RAM matters nearly as much as the quantity. Wthat I mean specifically is, if your motherboard contains DDR3 memory, but can accept DDR4, go ahead and install DDR4. THus, you add quantity and also increase the speed of your RAM.

Another factor to consider is how much RAM you want per CPU core. Generally, plan to devote 2 GB RAM to each core, but perhaps twice as much if you Do multimedia editing, machine learning, or gaming. There is also a wry joke that you need lots of memory if keeping lots of tabs open in your web browser. OMFG, web pages are so resource hungry these days. Absolutely think about adding RAM when upgrading your CPU to a model with more cores.

Is it better to add RAM in one large bank or two banks of equally sized modules? Experts tend to favor dividing the RAM to match the memory channels on the motherboard, and it is important to make the modules identical, if possible.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR UPGRADING RAM:
  - Get the fastest RAM you can manage, especially for faster CPUs.
  - Match module capacity (16 GB apiece, 32 GB apiece, etc)
  - Match manufacturer, if possible.
  - Match type (either DDR3 or DDR4, DDR5 when it is released...)
  - Do not mix the different DDR types!
  - A good rule of thumb is 2 GB per CPU core.
  - Install 4 GB per core if you can, if doing heavy editing / calculating tasks.




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