What Are the Benefits of Adding Memory to Laptops?
In a laptop, there are generally two parts that can be referred to as "memory." One of these is called Random Access Memory, otherwise known as RAM. Random Access Memory works a lot like a person's short-term memory; information is stored there while it is currently in use, and is transferred to what can be referred to as a computer's "long-term" memory at the user's request. This long-term memory is a computer's hard drive, which is the second piece of hardware sometimes referred to as "memory." Under most circumstances, both types of memory can provide major benefits if upgraded.
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RAM
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RAM works by storing gathering all files currently being used on a computer and consolidating them in one place for quick access. For example, any time a program is opened, information required to run the program is temporarily stored in the RAM. If there is a project being worked on, such as a document in a word processor, that project is also stored in the RAM. When a user saves the document, it is then moved to the hard drive for permanent storage.
It is important to remember that RAM only works when electricity is flowing through it, so anything stored on the RAM is temporary, and can be lost if a computer is shut down, crashes or loses power. This is why hard drives are necessary, since they are able to store information whether or not an electrical current is running through them. However, hard drives work much more slowly than RAM, 50 times slower in many cases.
If too many programs are open at once or RAM is insufficient to store all required information for a program, the PC or laptop will store information that should be on the RAM in a temporary area on the hard drive instead. Since the hard drive is much slower than RAM, this can lead to a significantly slower computer. In this case, adding random access memory to a laptop would significantly increase the computer's capacity for storing short-term information on the RAM itself, which would naturally lead to a faster running computer. More programs could be opened at one time without as much of a slowdown, and large RAM-sucking programs would generally run more smoothly.
RAM is not the only thing that affects the speed of a computer. The processor (also known as the CPU) also has a large influence on computer speed. However, if speed is an issue, upgrading RAM will usually help the problem to some degree.
Hard Drive
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A hard drive can require upgrading if there is insufficient space to store desired files. While searching for and deleting unnecessary files on a hard drive can sometimes fix this problem, it is likely that the hard drive will fill up again relatively quickly. Plain and simple, the benefits of upgrading a hard drive lie in the ability to store more files and larger files in long-term memory.
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Upgrading Memory on a Laptop
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One of the difficulties of upgrading RAM on a laptop is that each laptop is built differently, and thus each has its own unique method for upgrading RAM and some may not be upgradable at all. Also, there are a number of different types and sizes of RAM available, so it is important to know which type and size your particular laptop is able to use. A useful and free tool called CPU-Z can tell you all you need to know about your computer's hardware, including essential RAM information. A link to download this program is included below in the "Resources" section. Also included is a link to a helpful website that provides links to instructions on installing RAM, listed by laptop manufacturer and model.
Most laptop hard drives are similar, but when upgrading, it is important to make sure a laptop hard drive is acquired and not a desktop PC hard drive as they will not fit into a laptop. A link is included below in the "Resources" section that provides a list of instructions tailored to specific laptop models.
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