{"id":1349,"date":"2018-12-17T07:00:46","date_gmt":"2018-12-17T12:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=1349"},"modified":"2018-12-17T07:13:30","modified_gmt":"2018-12-17T12:13:30","slug":"a-reader-asks-will-upgrading-my-ram-from-3000-mhz-to-3200-mhz-yield-a-performance-gain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2018\/12\/17\/a-reader-asks-will-upgrading-my-ram-from-3000-mhz-to-3200-mhz-yield-a-performance-gain\/","title":{"rendered":"A reader* asks: “Will upgrading my RAM from 3000 MHz to 3200 MHz yield a performance gain?”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Meh. You’ll either see no gain at all; or so little that you won’t notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The circuits that RAM plugs into are controlled by a clock that sets the pacing for all memory-related operations in that part of the PC. In the vast majority of PCs, the RAM clock speed is set at the factory, and cannot be changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plugging in RAM chips that are rated for higher speeds doesn’t change the PC’s RAM clock speed. The new, theoretically-faster chips will still operate at the original, unchanged, factory-spec clock speed — meaning you just wasted some money buying speed capabilities your PC can’t use!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a minority of PCs (mostly gaming rigs and DIY setups) do allow for the user to alter the RAM clock speed. In that case, if your system allows you to change the speed from 3GHz to 3.2GHz, then you may be able to gain some advantage from the faster RAM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But even there, and even if you assume a 1:1 correlation between RAM clock speed and memory performance (it’s actually more complicated than<\/msreadoutspan> that), you’re still only looking at about a 6% speed increase<\/msreadoutspan>.<\/msreadoutspan><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six percent isn’t much. Most users need change of about 10% or more to notice a speed difference; single-digit speed increases are down in the noise level, and often pass undetected by humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be different: Pro-level users (e.g. professional benchmarkers, full-time gamers, other highly attuned users …) can sometimes notice speed changes down in<\/msreadoutspan> the single digits <\/msreadoutspan>— but it’s not a common thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, IF<\/strong> your PC is one where you can adjust the RAM clock speed, AND IF<\/strong> you’re a highly experienced and attuned user, THEN<\/strong> — and only then — might you see some perceptible benefit from upgrading your RAM speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otherwise, not so much. Sorry!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Permalink: <\/strong><\/em>https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=1349<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

* Want to ask Fred a question? Have a comment? Click here!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want free notification of new content like this? Click here<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Meh. You’ll either see no gain at all; or so little that you won’t notice. Here’s why: The circuits that RAM plugs into are controlled by a clock that sets the pacing for all memory-related operations in that part of the PC. In the vast majority of PCs, the RAM clock speed is set at…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-reader-asks","category-science-and-tech"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paaiox-lL","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1495,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2018\/12\/28\/a-reader-asks-why-is-ram-called-random-access-memory\/","url_meta":{"origin":1349,"position":0},"title":"A reader asks: “Why is RAM called random access memory?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2018-12-28","format":false,"excerpt":"Recall that early computers used tape as memory --- paper tape at first and later, magnetic tape. Tape-based memory is serial: If you want a byte of memory in the middle of the tape, you have to start at one end of the tape and spool through to the location\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":182,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2018\/08\/31\/a-reader-asks-how-do-i-know-if-i-have-enough-ram\/","url_meta":{"origin":1349,"position":1},"title":"A reader asks: How do I know if I have enough RAM?","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2018-08-31","format":false,"excerpt":"A reader asks: How do I know if I have enough RAM?\u00a0\u00a0(Question sent to me via Quora) Every device (PCs, tablets, smartphones\u2026), and every user, has a unique answer for \u201cwhat\u2019s enough RAM?\" In a perfect world,\u00a0RAM would you hold all of your running programs and processes in their entirety,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2364,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/03\/19\/a-reader-asks-which-is-a-better-way-to-speed-up-an-older-laptop-add-more-ram-or-change-the-old-hard-drive-to-a-solid-state-drive\/","url_meta":{"origin":1349,"position":2},"title":"A reader asks: “Which is a better way to speed up an older laptop, add more RAM, or change the old hard drive to a solid-state drive?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-03-19","format":false,"excerpt":"In general, \u201colder laptops\u201d were mostly 32-bit systems, which mathematically max out at 4GB of RAM. If the laptop has less RAM than that, I\u2019d consider starting there, to bring the laptop to its full memory complement. Because it\u2019s an \u201colder system,\u201d you probably can buy RAM for cheap. If\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/1280px-Samsung-1GB-DDR2-Laptop-RAM-e1587235482510.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":215,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2018\/08\/30\/a-reader-asks-my-pc-is-64-bit-so-why-can-it-only-address-4gb-of-ram\/","url_meta":{"origin":1349,"position":3},"title":"A reader asks: My PC is 64 bit, so why can it only address 4GB of RAM?","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2018-08-30","format":false,"excerpt":"Q: If my dimension XPS Gen 4 is 64-Bit, why can it only address 4GB RAM? (Question sent via Quora) A: There\u2019s a world of difference between what\u2019s mathematically or theoretically possible, and what is commercially viable for desktop systems! For example, a 64-bit system is theoretically able directly access\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1156,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2018\/11\/26\/a-reader-asks-how-much-ram-do-i-need-for-my-laptop\/","url_meta":{"origin":1349,"position":4},"title":"A reader asks: How much RAM do I need for my laptop?","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2018-11-26","format":false,"excerpt":"Q: How much RAM do I need for my laptop? I mostly use it for word documents, Internet browsing with multiple tabs, and, occasionally, light video editing. I currently have 4GB but I'm considering going up to 8GB. (via Quora) A: Here\u2019s an easy way to see if you have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/ram-use-fig-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4814,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/04\/21\/why-isnt-ram-used-in-place-of-sata-and-m-2-the-way-pcie-nvme-ssd-drives-have-made-storage-solutions-much-faster\/","url_meta":{"origin":1349,"position":5},"title":"“Why isn’t RAM used in place of SATA and M.2 the way PCIe NVMe SSD drives have made storage solutions much faster?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-04-21","format":false,"excerpt":"(Answer requested by Mark Mathews) Part of the reason RAM is fast is that it's volatile --- it *wants* to rapidly change state, and requires constant electrical refreshing to prevent it from doing so. This volatility makes RAM fast, but also means you can't ever turn it off, or it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/1280px-Samsung-1GB-DDR2-Laptop-RAM-e1587235482510.jpg?fit=400%2C253&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1349"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1393,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1349\/revisions\/1393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}