RAM Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Logical Increments Blog

Lopsided Memory Channels: Uneven RAM Set-ups Explained

Recently, we talked about memory channels: What they are, what they do, and why modern computers have multiple. But what happens when you aren’t using the common one or two identical sticks in each channel? What if you have one channel with one stick, and another with two? What if you aren’t using RAM from just one RAM kit, so you have one 4GB stick and one 8GB stick? Some claim that all your RAM works in single-channel mode under such circumstances, but how is that possible when you are physically using more than just one channel on the motherboard?

In this article, I will explain what happens when a different amount of RAM is installed into each of multiple memory channels on a motherboard (when memory channels are populated unevenly).

RAM Channels Guide: The What, and The How

If you’ve ever taken a look at a product page for sticks of RAM, or at the specifications for a CPU or motherboard, you’ve probably seen “memory channels” mentioned.

For many beginners, this sparks questions like, “What’s the deal? Does dual-channel mean I can only use two sticks? What do multiple channels do that one channel doesn’t? Can I use quad-channel RAM on a dual-channel motherboard?”

The answers to those questions and more can be found below, so read on!

Adjusting the RAM

RAM prices took to the skies in 2017, and remained airborne throughout 2018. This year, RAM prices have landed, settled down, and are considering digging an underground cave in preparation for Armageddon, and are expected to go down even further.

Buying Used PC Hardware: A Beginner’s Guide

If you’re close to the ‘Destitute’ level on our main chart—or even within spitting distance—new hardware prices can seem insurmountable. But what if you didn’t have to pinch pennies waiting for a sale? What if you could have a powerful—if slightly dated—system for a fraction of the cost?

Thankfully for you, there’s a surprisingly huge market for used hardware online! eBay is obvious, but forums like /r/hardwareswap are tight-knit, self-policing communities of enthusiasts eager to swap silicon. It’s also quite safe: PayPal is the most popular payment method, with their Goods and Services option offering buyer protection in the event of fraud.

That being said, not all used components age as gracefully as others. We’ve created this guide so you can shop wisely.

How to Upgrade an Older PC

PC photo by Nikitarama

Your computer has faithfully been by your side for all these years. You can’t replace it (for whatever reason), but with Christmas coming up, you decide it’s time to give your little friend a much-deserved gift.

Or maybe it’s frustrating you with sluggishness. Either way, you’ve got a great excuse to give it a little performance boost. What I’m here to do is to help you figure out what you can do to upgrade your older system on a budget.

So, let’s discover how to upgrade an older PC.

This list is more suited to people who fit the following:

You focus on gaming or productivity tasks
You might use these components in another computer build

It is okay if the above doesn’t quite apply to you. This info can still be really helpful. Just keep in mind that you might have different upgrade options than listed.

Choosing Your RAM: What is CAS Latency and When Does it Matter?

Choosing RAM can be daunting, because this decision may have a tangible impact on your user experience. How many browser tabs can you keep open, how many layers can you have open in Photoshop, and how fast will your game load? All of this is directly affected by your choice of RAM.

The End of the DDR3 Era

I cannot claim that DDR3 was my first RAM-love; DDR2 has that honour. Or shame, if you prefer. But DDR3 has a special place in my heart, for it was the only RAM that was available when I built my PC. It was also the only RAM available when Orion and I built our office. For about a decade, it was the only RAM for normal users.

Data Transfer Rates Compared (RAM vs PCIe vs SATA vs USB vs More!)

In the big wide world of hard drives, SSDs, RAM, VRAM, fancy CPU tech, and more—we felt it was about time to have a bit of a deep dive into data transfer rates.

That way, even if you’re working from an example PC build in our main build chart, you’ll know exactly what kind of speed and overall bandwidth you’re getting for your money!

DDR4 RAM Speeds and How We Recommend RAM

Recently, a user asked about RAM speeds and why we don’t recommend the fastest RAM possible, or the RAM with the lowest latency. After all, isn’t faster always better?

For all RAM, performance increases when speed increases and when latency decreases. However, the benefit from increasing speed far outweighs the performance loss of increasing latency. (For more information on this, read Crucial’s article on Speed vs. Latency.)

The Ultimate Guide to Computer RAM

RAM (short for Random Access Memory) is an essential part of every computer, because it holds all of the data your computer is currently using. Think of it as your computer’s short-term memory, whereas the hard drive is more like long-term memory. If you use your computer whilst at work though then it might be a good idea to check out something like this least privilege manager
software, to make sure that your computer is safe.

Why is RAM important? How much RAM do you need, and how fast does it need to be? We’re going to answer those questions, and hopefully clear up some common myths about RAM along the way. If this question and other tech related issues cause confusion or if your business’s computer systems aren’t acting in the way you want, it’s best you get in touch with an IT Support Company.

Posts Tagged Under: RAM