One of the easiest and cheapest ways to turbocharge your old laptop or PC is to give it some extra RAM. But there are a few things you’ll need to know first...
Memory is an often forgotten part of a PC, but it should be the first thing you look at when you’re trying to upgrade an old machine to a more sprightly specification. Increasing the amount of RAM in your PC can make a huge difference when playing games and using intensive software such as video- and photo-editing programs. Newer operating systems also tend to be more RAM-hungry, so if a Windows upgrade has reduced your PC to running at a crawl, a lack of memory could well be the cause.
RAM keeps all the data your system is currently using in a volatile but immediately accessible state, making your computer run faster as a result. If you have too many programs open at the same time, the PC will start to run out of RAM and begin to use a page file, which is a hard disk-based RAM overflow. Hard disks are much slower than RAM, and your PC will slow down hugely.
We’d recommend 4GB of RAM as a minimum for running Windows 8 smoothly, with 8GB being preferable. Those who like to play games, edit video and perform other heavy-duty tasks will see the benefits of having 16GB of RAM.
8GB RAM kits for desktop PCs can cost as little as £61, while 4GB SODIMM kits for laptops are available for around £30, making memory one of the cheapest and easiest-to-fit components on your machine. On these pages we’ll show you how to upgrade the RAM in your laptop, and overleaf we have a buying guide for desktop RAM modules.
CAN I UPGRADE?
The first question you need to ask when you’re looking to upgrade your computer’s memory is whether your RAM is accessible and removable. If it’s inaccessible, you can’t go further without risking damaging your computer. If you can access it you have a greater chance of success, but it’s still not guaranteed you’ll be able to do anything.
First, check the underside of your laptop for any removable panels; the same applies to the back of all-in-one PCs. On a laptop without any such panels, check whether the RAM is to be found under the keyboard tray instead. You’ll know whether the keyboard tray is removable if there’s a gap around the board with notches big enough for a small flat-head screwdriver.
If your RAM is accessible, you’ll need to check if it’s removable or not. If one stick of RAM is soldered to the motherboard but you can see a spare slot for a second module, or the second module is removable, you can still add RAM. You won’t be able to increase the capacity as much as you would have done if you’d replaced both sticks, but it will still work.
Things are usually easier with desktops because they have more space inside their chassis. Some desktop motherboards have four slots for RAM, and a few have eight. Some have only two, however, so you’ll have to buy higher-capacity sticks if you want to boost your RAM significantly. If your PC has four or eight slots and not all of them are occupied, you can save money simply by buying new RAM (see below) and putting it in the free slots. If your PC has fewer slots, you’ll have to replace the RAM that’s already there and discard it. Make sure your RAM is removable: some big-brand PC manufacturers integrate RAM into the motherboard to save on costs, though this isn’t common.
HOW NUCH RAN CAN I INSTALL?
You now need to find out how much RAM your laptop or desktop already has. In all versions of Windows from XP to 8.1 you can find out how much RAM you have installed by right-clicking Computer or This PC and selecting Properties. While you’re here, also take note of whether you have 32-bit or 64-bit Windows installed. Alternatively, you can download and install CPU-Z (tinyurl.com/shoppercpuz) and select the Memory tab to see how much RAM there is in your PC.
Once you know the amount of memory you have, you need to find out whether you can actually upgrade it. You first need to check if your computer can handle more memory. It you’re using a laptop, the manual should tell you how much RAM you can install; if not, look on the manufacturer’s website. If you’re using a desktop, check your motherboard manufacturer’s website for the maximum amount of RAM it can handle.
Alternatively, try using a memory upgrade site such as www.mrmemory.co.uk, which has a database of laptops and desktops and their memory limits. Its RAM compatibility checker will tell you what memory is recommended for your laptop. It provided the right information for all the laptops we tried, but we can’t guarantee it will be 100 per cent accurate or feature your exact laptop model.
LAPTOP AND ALL-IN-ONE PC UPGRADES
Older and cheaper laptops often have less RAM than you’ll need today. Some bargain-bin laptops ship with a measly 2GB. This problem was particularly stark in the mid-to-late 2000s when the netbook craze was at its height: consumers snapped up ludicrously cheap Windows laptops that had just 1GB of RAM, which was just enough for basic Windows 7 use at the time. Things have improved somewhat in recent years, with many cheap laptops now coming with 4GB of memory.
All-in-one PCs are usually better equipped, but you’re more likely to use them for tougher computing tasks. We’ll be referring to laptops throughout this guide, but this advice applies equally to all-in-one PCs too, unless noted.
WHAT RAN SHOULD I BUY?
Laptop memory modules, known as SODIMM, are smaller than desktop ones. Your laptop's SODIMM memory will either be DDR2 or DDR3, and you’ll need to find out which. Again use CPU-Z (tinyurl.com/shoppercpuz); its Memory tab tells you what type of RAM you need. This is important, as these two types of RAM are physically different, with a notch to prevent the wrong type of RAM being used in the wrong slot.
The SPD tab includes more information, such as the maximum bandwidth of your current RAM. The speed of memory is measured in megahertz (MHz). Buying faster memory than you need is fine, as the faster modules will clock down to the required speed; sometimes faster memory is actually cheaper than modules that match your current ones.
Finally, you need to know how many SODIMM slots your laptop has. If it has one, you’ll need all the memory you want on one module That will mean discarding your old module, so the upgrade will likely be more expensive. For example, if you want 4GB of RAM and only have one SODIMM slot, you’ll need to buy a single new 4GB module.
If your laptop has two slots, things are a bit more complicated. It both are full then you’ll need to discard both modules and replace them either with a new pair that add up to the total you’re looking for, or use a single large module. The latter option might be cheaper, and gives you the opportunity to upgrade again later. If only one of two slots is in use, you can buy a second module to double up the amount of RAM, or discard the currently fitted module and buy a new module or pair to match your desired total.
We recommend buying RAM from trusted manufacturers such as Crucial, Corsair or Kingston. Don’t bother with anything fancy-looking; these companies’ basic or value ranges will be fine.
DESKTOP PCs
If you’re looking to undertake more strenuous tasks on your desktop PC, such as videoediting, photography and gaming, we’d recommend at least 8GB of RAM. However, you’ll need a 64-bit-compatible processor and a 64-bit operating system to take advantage of this increased memory.
Almost all newer desktop PCs use DDR3 RAM, but if your PC is five or more years old there’s a chance that it may only be compatible with DDR2 modules. CPU-Z will tell you which kind of memory your PC needs. Most motherboards have a dual-channel memory bus, meaning they work more efficiently with two identical RAM modules. When buying RAM, it’s worth buying two identical modules to take advantage of this.
You also need to take into account the speed of the RAM you’re buying. To find out your PC’s maximum memory speed, check in your motherboard’s manual or look up your motherboard on the manufacturer’s website.
Manufacturers list RAM speeds in two ways, in MHz and megabytes per second, with the latter being eight times the former. For example, PC3-12800 is the same as 1,600MHz. This figure denotes the speed up to which the module will run reliably.