What you should know before buying new computer RAM.

Many of us may one day wish to upgrade the hardware components in our computers, and one of the most important components is the RAM. It is one of the key components that provides speed and efficiency when using a computer. Therefore, you should pay attention to it. If you want to buy new RAM, you must first make sure that it is compatible with the motherboard you own. We will not address that topic here, but you can read more about how to choose RAM for your computer and how RAM works. In this article, we will explain some terms that you need to know before buying new RAM.

1- Type

You need to know what type of RAM you can add to your computer, based on the type of motherboard you have. All the hardware components you own must be compatible with each other. You should read about how to know the specifications of your computer because there are multiple versions of RAM available such as DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4. The DDR2 and DDR3 versions are more common due to their support for multiple platforms like Intel and AMD. However, the version is not as important as the terms or basics that you need to know.

2- Memory Frequency

The memory frequency refers to the speed at which data is transferred per second. There are memory modules that operate at speeds of 1333MHz and can go up to speeds of 3400MHz. The higher the RAM frequency, the faster the data transfer speed, resulting in increased speed of the computer during operation. However, high-frequency RAM modules tend to be more expensive due to their high performance.

3- Memory CAS Latency

CAS latency is the time taken by the memory to execute tasks. The lower the latency, the better the performance of the memory in executing tasks. Latency is usually written on RAM modules in the form of CL followed by a number. The lower the number, the better the performance. However, you should know that as the memory frequency increases, so does the latency because frequency is the speed of data transfer. Therefore, you should select RAM with low latency.

4- Voltage

Each of the three latest versions of RAM consumes less voltage as the version becomes newer. DDR3 RAM consumes voltage ranging from 1.5 to 1.35V, while DDR2 consumes voltage ranging from 1.8 to 2.5V. Choosing newer RAM versions will result in lower voltage consumption, indicating an increase in RAM frequency without a significant power consumption. This means that there is less heat generated from the RAM.

5- Memory Size

Memory size is one of the most important factors to consider, especially for gamers. If you are building a gaming computer, you will need at least 4GB of memory. For regular computer users, a memory size ranging from 2 to 4GB should be sufficient.

Conclusion
If you have read the above paragraphs, you now know that the four key things to consider when buying new RAM for your computer are low latency, high frequency, low voltage, and a larger memory size. Your choice will depend on how you intend to use the RAM.