Has your PC started to feel sluggish? It may be plagued by freeze-ups, spinning wheels, or even error messages about “low memory.” If you’re seeing any of these issues at times when your processor should be doing work, the PC might need more RAM. But before going out and buying more, it’s a good idea to double check how much you already have. Here’s how to see how much RAM is currently in your computer, and whether it needs to be upgraded.
What Is RAM?
Random Access Memory (RAM) is a type of super-fast storage your computer uses to hold data it needs in the short term. Think of your hard drive as a filing cabinet—where all your data is stored—and the RAM like your desk, where you put the stuff you’re currently working on. The more RAM you have, the bigger your desk, and the more projects your computer can keep open at once without getting bogged down when taking things out of the filing cabinet. Unfortunately, in the age of thinner and lighter devices, many modern laptops have their RAM permanently soldered to the motherboard, meaning you can’t upgrade it without buying a whole new computer. But if you have a desktop PC, or an upgrade-friendly laptop (such as the Framework Laptop), adding more RAM is easy.
How Much RAM Do I Need in My PC?
How much RAM should you have? That’s the question you’re probably asking, but the answer isn’t always the same. As with most things tech-related, it mostly comes down to what you’re trying to do. As a general rule, 4GB has come to be considered inadequate, but anything above that comes down to your specific needs. For instance, 8GB of RAM should be fine for most general-use PCs—web browsing, checking emails, and viewing documents. 16GB of RAM would be preferable for workstations and mid-tier gaming, while you would want 32GB for high-end gaming and professional multimedia editing setups.
Find Out How Much RAM You Have
Whether you’re still on Windows 10 or have since upgraded to Windows 11, just go to Settings > System > About. In Windows 11, you’ll see the information at the top of the screen in a square labelled Installed RAM. Older systems will list this detail under the Device Specifications section with a line named “Installed RAM” that will tell you how much you currently have.
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)
Mac users have a simple way of checking their computer’s specs: Just click the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of the screen, and select About This Mac. In the Overview tab, you’ll be presented with a simple list of specs, including the amount of memory currently installed. Sadly, modern Macs have their RAM soldered in place, so they can’t be upgraded. Most iMacs and older MacBooks are upgrade-friendly, though. Find your model in About This Mac and look it up online to see what’s doable on your machine. But at this point, you might just want to upgrade the whole system.
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8GB of RAM is available on this MacBook Air (Credit: PCMag / Apple)
RAM Problems? Check Task Manager, Activity Monitor
Since your specific needs will vary depending on what you want to do, there’s a more precise way to see if you actually need more RAM: Windows Task Manager. The next time you experience a slowdown, press Ctrl-Shift-Esc to bring up the Task Manager. Click the Performance tab and select Memory in the sidebar to see a graph of your current RAM usage. You don’t want the graph to be completely empty—after all, unused RAM is wasted RAM—but if the RAM is completely full when you’re trying to do basic tasks like browse the web or write up a document, you’re probably due for an upgrade.
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)
In macOS, open Launchpad > Other and select Activity Monitor, or press Command-Shift-U to open the Utility folder and select Activity Monitor. Click the Memory tab along the top of the window to see a graph at the bottom showing how much RAM is currently in use. Remember, as long as you have some free RAM, you’re fine, and should look into other potential upgrades. But if Activity Monitor is saying your RAM is full to the brim, you probably need more. In the meantime, check the list of processes and close any programs that are using lots of memory. If you’re experiencing slowdowns but find that the RAM isn’t bursting at the seams, then the bottleneck is likely somewhere else, and you should look to other solutions for speeding up your PC.
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(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
How to Upgrade RAM on PC?
Once you find out how much RAM is there, and how much RAM is needed, you’ll need to find a compatible stick (which may require some web sleuthing, if you didn’t build the PC). The big RAM makers—Crucial, Kingston, Corsair—offer product finders on their websites that will show you which type of RAM is compatible with your computer.
The physical process of swapping out RAM will differ depending on the exact model, so we can’t walk you through step-by-step. However, you should be able to find detailed guidance from your PC’s or motherboard’s manufacturer. All you need to do is pop open the computer (for a laptop, this usually means you need a screwdriver), pull out the existing RAM, and then plug the new memory into place. Before you blow money on a new stick, it’s a good idea to see if you actually need it, or if that money is better spent on another upgrade, like a solid-state drive.
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About Our Experts
Whitson Gordon
Contributing Writer
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Whitson Gordon is a writer, gamer, and tech nerd who has been building PCs for 10 years. He eats potato chips with chopsticks so he doesn’t get grease on his mechanical keyboard.
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Jason Cohen
Senior Editor, Help & How To
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As PCMag’s editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.
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My job as how-to guru means I use just about every gadget under the sun, so I can figure out how everything works. I work from a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11, but also have a very large Dell Inspiron 17 3000 and Apple silicon MacBook. I also have a Google Pixel 6a for personal use and use a Galaxy Z Flip 4 for additional Samsung-related testing. For iOS coverage, an iPhone 13 mini works like a charm, though it’s already becoming a little long in the tooth.
My desktop situation includes a dual monitor setup with a modest Acer monitor. I also use a Logitech mouse (who can use these ThinkPad trackpads) and a Havit keyboard (my first mechanical keyboard; I love it but my wife hates it!). I’m a recent convert from wired headphones; I have Anker Soundcore Liberty Air wireless earbuds for personal use and have taken to the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones for work.
Whenever I have a second to myself, I’m probably gaming on my Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or Xbox Series S. I also still have a bunch of classic consoles lying around as well.
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