How much RAM do you need for gaming and multitasking? (2024)

Key takeaways from this article

• Adequate RAM capacity:

  Start with at least 16GB of RAM for a balanced gaming and multitasking experience. This amount supports modern games and allows room for background applications without lag.

• Monitor and manage:

  Regularly check your system's RAM usage through the task manager to identify which apps are resource-heavy. Close unnecessary ones to ensure smooth gameplay.

This summary is powered by AI and these experts

• Kevin Lilley INFOSEC/IT Support
• Joel Joboy Joseph Passionate About Finding and Securing…

• Kevin Lilley INFOSEC/IT Support

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  Task manager in Windows generally gives you a strong estimation of your current usage and has the added benefit of telling you which applications are using the most of your RAM or even CPU. I try to keep usage as low as possible and this can be aided by having more RAM available. Ideally, 16GB of RAM covers the standard basics of a gaming environment though if you're playing the latest and greatest games, and streaming, you may want to bump that up to 32GB for an extra space to work in.

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  RAM plays an important role when it comes in optimizing your PC's performance. To check RAM usage, simply click (Ctrl+Shift+Esc)- Task Manager and going to Performance tab. Try to close all the useless tabs if you're gaming or doing CPU intensive tasks.

  See Also

  If you're still gaming on 16GB of RAM, you're missing out | Digital TrendsSSD vs HDD for Gaming, Which is Better?

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• Joel Joboy Joseph Passionate About Finding and Securing the Best Talent for Your Team

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  If you are a hardcore gamer what I would suggest is 16gb ram. Based on your motherboard, you can go for the ddr gen. If you have the best board, then go for ddr5 or else go for ddr4 at least.

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  If your PC starts to lag or if the usage is too high, consider upgrading your RAM. One thing to keep in mind that all 8GB RAM's are not same. What differentiates is the number of megahertz - 3200MhZ or 4800MhZ. Higher the better. You need to add the RAM which your motherboard supports. For playing modern games and AAA titles, at least 8GB RAM is recommended. 16GB is recommended, and 32GB or more is overkill unless you are a professional user.

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• Joel Joboy Joseph Passionate About Finding and Securing the Best Talent for Your Team

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  Mostly I wont suggest this but if you have a potato pc or a mid end pc, tweak the game and put the graphics and most of the demanding ones in low or medium. This way you will be able to get a good fps to play the game without any lag. Only drawback is that you won't be able to experience the actual graphics of the game.

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• Kevin Lilley INFOSEC/IT Support

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  I've never used a RAM cleaner to free up space. The most effective way to clear your RAM is to initiate a full system shut down a couple times a week depending on your system configuration. Fully booting down your system will clear the memory and often help with Windows operating at 100%. Additionally, it often gives your machine a chance to update if you haven't for a little while.

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  I've never had to use a RAM cleaner before. Whenever I had issues with RAM, I simply turned off my computer, took out the RAM, gave the slots a bit of compressed air, and reseated it back in. Worked pretty well for me so far.

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