Does My Laptop Have Enough RAM? If Not, Is It Easy to Upgrade?

Random access memory abbreviated to RAM is located inside a laptop & is critical for programs to run smoothly. If there is no RAM, then some programs will either not run at all or may run very very slowly. When a laptop is turned off the RAM will be cleared of all its contents, so it only acts as a temporary store for information. Usually, a user will upgraded RAM to increase the number of programs that can be effectively run on a laptop; occasionally however, RAM will fail, & is changed to repair a defective laptop.

Before beginning any repair or upgrade work on your laptop you ought to disconnect the power pack & remove the battery. You ought to also attach an anti-static strap to your wrist; these are available from most electronic shops.

The RAM chip or chips in most laptops can be found under a small plastic door, secured with screws, on the base of your laptop. Use a small cross point screwdriver to remove the screws & open the door to reveal the RAM. A quantity of the older laptops has an additional or RAM chip located under the keyboard; to locate this keyboard must be removed. It is much more difficult, so specialist help may be necessary at this point.

Before beginning a RAM upgrade it is necessary to identify how much RAM is already present. This can be done in ways; either by removing & examining the existing RAM chips or by looking in the Method Setting located in the Control Panel of Windows. As a general rule you ought to always aim to double the ram capacity, ideally by using identical RAM chips. For example, in the event you have a single 512 Mb RAM chip in your laptop then you ought to aim to have 2x 512 Mb chips making a total of GB after the upgrade. If the existing RAM consists of 2x chips then both ought to be discarded & new identical RAM chips bought & installed. There are exceptions but most laptops work better with identical chips than mixed capacity RAM chips. All RAM is removed by pushing metal or plastic side tabs & removing the chip; installing the new chips is the reverse.

Over the last few years types of RAM have been used in laptops; DDR, DDR2 & DDR3. DDR is an abbreviation for double data rate. Regrettably, these types of RAM are not interchangeable; & within each type different speeds are available. Usually, the safest way to select which RAM to buy for your laptop is to carefully examining the label on the old RAM chips & buy the same type & speed as the original, but of a greater capacity. Alternatively, check the manufacturer's net site where the RAM specification for your laptop can usually be found. time you have done the upgrade reconnect the battery & power pack, turn on the laptop & check that the total amount of RAM present is as expected; if not then either a chip is flawed or has not been installed properly.

To Upgrade Or Not To Upgrade...?

The decision whether to upgrade a computer or to buy a brand spanking new is something that all computer users finally face. Answering this query depends on lots of factors. For some users, a simple memory upgrade is, while other users require a newer model to meet their needs.

One major factor in determining whether to upgrade or to buy a brand spanking new computer is cost. Some PC's can benefit greatly from a comparatively cheap upgrade while for others; the cost of updating would be the same as that of buying a brand new computer outright.

Age is also an important factor to think about. As know-how improves, older machines are fundamentally unable to meet the demands of the latest application. No reasonable amount of updating can make a computer that runs Windows XP operate like a state of the art PC walking the latest operating method. While this is true, some PC users don't require the most modern features. Walking a few simple applications doesn't require a brand spanking new machine to do so.

For PC users whose machines are over a few years old, purchasing a brand spanking new computer may be better than updating. This is true for users walking the latest, & most technologically intensive, applications. Modern applications require modern hardware, simple techniques like registry tweaks & application upgrades will have tiny effect on machines that are past their prime.

 A thing to keep in mind about updating a computer is that technology only lasts for not so long. While upgrades can extend the life of a PC, there comes a point when no amount of updating will produce positive effects. Another important fact about updating is that computers have technological limits; it is not feasible to continuing adding upgrades indefinitely.

Purchasing a brand spanking new computer is often a fascinating option for users. Faster machines with more memory & flashy application are stunning. When purchasing a brand spanking new computer it is important to understand that a variety of the features & programs available on older computers may not yet work on newer ones. It is up to the buyer to do their homework before making a purchase.

Thinking about needs, the age of current hardware & budget, it is usually simple to pick whether to upgrade a PC, or to buy a brand spanking new outright. Each choice has its own advantages & disadvantages but fortunately, making the choice is not usually a difficult.

Choosing the Right Graphics Card

Choosing the right graphics card has always been a difficult task. There are hundreds to choose from and many brands, model numbers and specifications to confuse the everyday computer user.

Whether you are building your own PC, upgrading your existing system the challenge to get it right first time is a difficult one.

When reading about all the different specifications & products obtainable it is simple to get bogged down & make a call based solely on promotion or sales hype.

The first step to choosing your graphics card is to pick exactly what you will be using it for. Are your demands for your PC graphics intensive? Are you a keen gamer & find your graphics card is not dealing with the newer games you need to play. Your main usage may lie in graphics work such as graphic design or photography.

To start with make a list of games you like to play or the graphics applications you use or need to make use of on your PC. A visit to the site of these games or application sites can lead to the basic knowledge they must get the ball rolling. Or in the event you have already bought a game or application package you ought to be able to finding these settings on the box or in the product knowledge be it a manual or CD. These sites or product knowledge will tell you the basic requirements & recommended requirements for playing or using the application. As a rule, always ignore the maximum requirements & take note of the recommended requirements. These are more important as these are the requirements for jogging all parts of a game or application suit. For example, if purchasing Adobe CS5 suite positive parts for video or 3d work cannot be installed if the graphics card does not have all the necessary features. Positive games cannot be run at full capability i.e. positive graphics setting will need to be turned off or specifications lowered if the graphics card is not capable or quick to run these features.

Getting it Right?

What does your motherboard support? This is important for beginning your research. Graphics cards are installed in to your PC by slot on the motherboard. If your computer is over 5 years old then your motherboard may have an older AGP slot.

Although AGP cards are still obtainable they have been replaced by PCI-E slots. If your motherboard still contains the AGP slot then you definitely ought to be thinking about a used PC or motherboard upgrade & all that will incorporate which is beyond the scope of this article.

PCI-E is the industry standard now & there is versions of this form factor, PCI-E & PCI-E it is important that you find out which your motherboard supports.

PCI-E is backwards compatible & will work in a PCI-E capable motherboard but the gains made by PCI-E format won't be obtainable on a PCI-E motherboard.

Making that Decision

The final decision ought to be made now that you have all the necessary knowledge to make a purchase. So what ought to you buy? You definitely have a budget for your purchase so this may limit what you can buy. Take a glance at lots of the hardware testing & review sites to see what they are saying about the latest graphics cards. These sites check & recommend graphics cards based on the results of their tests. Toms Hardware, MaximumPC & AnandTech have regular features & reviews for the latest technologies & graphics cards to help you compare your necessary specifications & make that final decision on which graphics card you need to improve your computers graphics performance.