Looking to upgrade your RAM to speed up your PC? Upgrading RAM from time to time is important if you want to keep your PC up to speed. RAM is not the only factor that is involved in your computer’s speed, but it is still an important one.
Upgrading the RAM isn’t as simple as it sounds. You can’t simply visit a local tech store or visit an online market website, and buy the first RAM you see. Not all RAMs are compatible with your motherboard. So, ‘what RAM is compatible with my PC’ you ask? To know that you have to perform the tests mentioned in this article.
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What RAM Is Compatible With My PC?
Contents
Before buying a new RAM, you need to take various things into account. Otherwise, there is a chance that the RAM you bought won’t be support on your computer.
So, how to tell if RAM is compatible? Before you buy new RAM you need to consider the following things:
- Does your Motherboard support DDR4, DDR3, DDR2 or DDR RAM?
- Are you buying the RAM for a desktop or laptop?
- How many RAM slots does your Motherboard have?
- Are you using 32 bit OS or 64 bit OS?
All the above-mentioned points matter when you want to buy new RAM.
DDR4, DDR3, DDR2?
You must purchase the type of RAM that is supported by your Motherboard. Depending on when the motherboard was manufactured, it was designed to use one of these memory types.
- DDR2 technology appeared in 2004. Unless your Motherboard was manufactured between 2004 and 2008, this type of RAM won’t be supported on your computer.
- DDR3 technology first appeared in 2007.
- DDR4 technology first appeared in 2014. If you are using a brand-new Motherboard, it is like that it will support DDR4 RAM.
Finding the type of memory supported by your motherboard is very important in buying a compatible RAM.
Desktop And Laptop RAMs
The desktop uses the DIMM RAM whereas the laptop uses the SODIMM RAM. The main difference between these two types of RAMs is the size. You cannot fit a laptop RAM in a desktop and vice versa.
How Many RAM Slots Does Your Motherboard Have?
Every motherboard has a different number of RAM slots. If your motherboard only has two RAM slots and you are already using 2 RAM modules, then buying a new RAM will mean that you will have to swap one of the older RAMs.
32-Bit Or 64-Bit OS?
This is very important. We know that the Windows OS has 2 architecture versions, 32 bit and 64 bit. The 32 bit OS can only support up to 4 GB of RAM’s, so buying RAMs of more storage is simply a waste. The 64 bit OS however supports more than 4GB RAM. If you want to buy the big storage RAMs like 16 GB, you better have 64-bit OS installed or the 12 GB RAM will go to waste.
How To Tell If RAM Is Compatible?
If you are wondering how to find out what RAM you have and what RAM you can use, then don’t worry. All you need to do is download the Crucial System Scanner and install it on your PC. Run this scanner to check what RAM is compatible with your PC. You can also directly buy a compatible RAM from the Crucial store depending on the results shown by the Crucial System Scanner.
If you don’t want to buy crucial RAM, just use the data shown by the Crucial System Scanner and buy from somewhere else.
CPU-Z is another 3rd party app that you can use to learn the above mentioned details of your PC. It is also free to download and use.
Wrapping Up
So, there you have it. Now you know have the answer to “What RAM is compatible with my PC” question. The Crucial System Scanner will find out all the details I have mentioned above effortlessly and show them to you. Depending on the data shown, you can easily buy a compatible RAM for your PC. If you have any questions regarding this article, ask them in the comment section.
Thank you for posting this info. Much appreciated.