How to find out the type of installed RAM. How to find out what random access memory (RAM) is on a computer or laptop

By the word computer, users mean a system unit and nothing more. In fact, it consists of different devices, which together are called the system unit. In this article I will talk about one of the devices that is in every computer, and we will also talk about how to find out what RAM is on the computer. In fact, this can be done easily and simply in several simple ways, which I will tell you about now.

First, I’ll tell you how to find out its volume. The first method is to go to “Start”, right-click on “Computer”, and select “Properties” in the pop-up window. This will tell you how many GB of RAM you have available. Since this computer has a 32-bit system installed, after 6 GB. it says that 2.72 is available - we don’t pay attention to this. You only need the first digit.

The same information can be found in another way by going to the same “Start” - “Run” - enter msinfo32, then press Enter.

Or I can suggest another way - press the key combination “Win” + “R”, enter dxdiag in the window that appears. Here, again, opposite the inscription “Memory” you can see its physical volume. This is regarding the number of gigabytes. Now let's figure out how to find out what RAM is on a computer or laptop, and also look at additional characteristics.

Unfortunately, we cannot achieve this using standard Windows tools, so we will have to download third-party software, such as Speccy. A very convenient utility of its kind that displays the characteristics of all modules and boards currently connected to a personal computer. Since Speccy has a free license, downloading it will not be difficult for you.

When the program downloads, install it. Now you can find out what RAM is in your computer using Speccy. After launching the utility, go to the “RAM” section (everything is there in plain sight, anyone can figure it out). You may have to wait half a minute maximum while the program collects data, then you can read the characteristics in detail. This way you can find out the DDR type, volume, number of channels, frequency, what percentage of it is currently used, etc. In general, install it and see for yourself.

If you have no desire to understand all these shenanigans with programs and data, then you have a direct route to the system unit: turn off the power, open it, remove the memory modules (if there are several of them) and look at the characteristics directly at them.

To determine the amount of RAM, random access memory of a laptop or computer, you can use the operating system tools. But if you dig deeper and get comprehensive data, then Windows capabilities are not enough. And in this case, tools will come to the rescue that will complement the information obtained by OS tools. For example, using the program you can find out the frequency and type of RAM. At the end of the article, we will list all third-party utilities, free and demo versions, and discuss their capabilities in more detail.

Why you need to know the type of RAM

Why be interested in computer RAM, its random access memory? The reasons may vary. For example, when installing computer games or programs, recommended system requirements are indicated. These are approximate characteristics that the OS must meet in order for the application to launch and work stably. They might look like this:

CPU 2.2 GHz
1, 5 or 2 Mb RAM
HDD 25 GB

These system requirements are recommended by the developers for the game World of Tanks. That is, in order to run a tank simulator, the computer’s RAM, RAM, must meet these characteristics, otherwise the game simply will not start or will be very slow.

And if your PC does not meet these parameters, you can increase the RAM by adding another module, or change it to a different size. In this case, the processor and motherboard must support RAM. If you decide not to change the RAM, but to add another stick to the one already on your PC, it must correspond to it. In this case, it is desirable that both the first and second memory modules have the same volume. This is necessary for the computer/laptop to work quickly, without lags or slowdowns.

Visual method

For some users this method is simple, but for others it’s the opposite. If you can open the computer, look at all the information on the RAM stick. Usually, comprehensive information is indicated there: RAM model, size and frequency parameter. And if the computer is not “ancient”, the memory specification is also indicated. For example, Samsung produces third, fourth and fifth generation DDR.

But not all RAM sticks are fully informative. For example, on older versions, you can only see the volume and type.

You can look at the warranty card or in an online store, if you do not throw away such things after purchases, and if the memory has not been changed during the operation of the PC.

3. Determining RAM using Windows

As we have already written, OS tools are uninformative, or rather, not fully. If you only need to determine the amount of RAM, no problem. In some cases, you can also see the frequency. And if you need a type of RAM and you can’t or don’t want to use third-party applications, then you need to look at the motherboard.

This can be done in two ways and one of them is BIOS:

when the computer/laptop boots up, press one of the function keys;
All information about the motherboard is contained in Memory Information.

If your computer supports the new UEFI specification that replaced the BIOS, there is no point in installing third-party tools. Everything you need to know about RAM is stored in the new interface.

If you just need information about the RAM size, finding it out is as easy as shelling pears:

Using these methods, you will not see the size that is installed on the PC, but only the one that works.

For example, if you install two sticks of 2 GB each on Windows in 32-bit, then the size of the working memory will be 3 GB. The operating system does not use or display another 1 GB. If you want to have more memory, the system must be 64-bit. In this case, the OS will show it and use it in its work.

Determining RAM using third-party programs

If the built-in system tools do not help you find out detailed information about RAM, you will have to resort to third-party utilities. There are a number of tools that are specifically designed to collect all the information about the PC operating system. By downloading one of these programs to your computer, you can find out comprehensive data (frequency, type, size).

In addition, utilities can determine how many RAM module slots your computer's mother memory can accommodate, and what RAM is installed on them. The application program will tell you all the technical information about the PC. It is used by IT and computer repair specialists, as well as gamers. It is available on many sites with software, but it is better to use the version that is presented on the manufacturer’s official page. This ensures that a working and improved version is downloaded.

How RAM is checked:

The Memory tab contains some information;
here you can see the frequency and type of RAM.

To obtain comprehensive information about memory, you need to open the main tab - General. This is where the size and type of RAM is indicated.

And if you want to determine RAM timings (the time spent by RAM chips to perform certain operations) and operating frequency, use the menu of the same name, Timings.

To determine the number of RAM sticks available on the computer and the slots in which they are located, you need to open another tab, SPD, and perform two steps:

study the list of slots into which RAM modules are connected;
Select the connector that interests you and view information about it on the tab.

Important information: if the RAM modules are of different sizes, nothing bad will happen to the computer. But in order for it to work faster, it is better to have paired bars with the same volume. For example, 4 GB of memory located on two modules, 2 for each. This is one of the most popular tools that provides technical information about the system. The product developed by FinalWire was formerly called EVEREST. Using this powerful and functional software, you can test and diagnose personal computers, obtaining all the necessary information about its components. But to take full advantage of all the functionality, you need to pay about $40. You can use the program for free for only a month.

How to find out the resources of your PC:

run the tool;
wait for the program to scan the computer;
go to the menu and find “Motherboards”;
open SPD.

A window will open containing comprehensive information about RAM. So, for example, you can find out:

dimensions of the strips available on the PC;
who made them and what model it is;
at what speed do memory modules operate, and what type is installed on the PC;
how many bits does the bus have?

If you need to install an additional stick on your PC, you will need other information - about the motherboard. They can also be seen using this tool. This is professional software that collects information and diagnoses personal computer equipment. You can find out comprehensive information about all hardware. The program has many functions: with its help you can even monitor drivers and update them on time. But its main purpose is to monitor the condition of computer components. This is a great tool for those who want complete information, but without the money. The free version of the program contains full functionality. There is also a ported version that does not require installation.

conclusions

All of the above methods will not cause difficulties even for untrained users. Knowing complete information about the computer's RAM is necessary in different cases. For example, in order to run the resource-demanding World of Tanks or simply increase the speed of your PC by replacing or installing an additional RAM stick. You need to use the information received correctly by selecting the appropriate RAM modules for your computer.

Hello everyone. So today we’ll talk about the type of memory, or rather, about how to find out what type of memory is on your computer. RAM on a computer is needed so that the processor has room to think, well, figuratively speaking. It is in the RAM that all important calculations, all important operations take place, well, in general, all the work, so to speak, takes place in the RAM. It contains data that the processor works with constantly or frequently. If there is not enough RAM, then it is clear that there will be glitches. Sometimes it’s useful to buy more, but how do you know which one is suitable and which one is not? Here the first thing you need to do is find out the type of RAM you have on your computer

The RAM itself is called such a designation as DDR and then there is another generation number, so to speak. Well, today, that is, in 2016, the newest generation of memory is DDR4. But DDR3 can also be considered a modern type of memory, because it is still popular memory, and DDR4 is only gaining momentum. The oldest generation, it is clear that DDR1, well, DDR2 is also an old generation, but it is still used on many outdated computers. The memory types are not compatible with each other, that is, a DDR3 bar cannot be installed where a DDR4 was installed, and vice versa. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right memory for the motherboard, so as not to make a mistake

Guys, I apologize right away, but the article turned out to be really long, I just had a joke here, I’m completely shocked, well, this is crap! In short, read and you will understand everything!

So how do you find out what type of RAM is on your computer? I tried to find out this information in Windows itself, but the most I could find out was only the amount of RAM, but what type of memory is not indicated anywhere. Well, maybe I didn’t look carefully, but personally I didn’t find such information. Therefore, alas, guys, this can only be found out with the help of special programs. Although I know that you probably don’t really want to download anything right now, nevertheless, this will be the most correct decision.

The best program I know for finding out information about the process, information about the RAM, is of course CPU-Z. This is a free program, absolutely gorgeous, small, you can download it here:

So you install it. It installs without any glitches, but you still make sure that there are no left-handed checkboxes, otherwise some other leftist will be installed on your computer! Well, then you launch it, here is its main window, this is the CPU tab, here is all the necessary information about your process:

You need to go to the Memory tab, here it is:

So what do we see here? Where Type is, the memory type is indicated there, in my case it is DDR3, where Size is, the total amount of memory is indicated there. Where Channel is, it says what mode the memory works in, I have it written Single, this is because I have an 8-gigabit stick and that’s it, only one stick, so the memory works in a single channel. That is, here, on this tab, we can find out the most important thing, which is what type of memory you have.

But there is one more point, this is frequency. It is better to buy memory with the same frequency that you have. If there are strips with different frequencies, then all the memory will work at the frequency that is the lowest among the strips. Well, that is, if you have one stick at 1600 MHz and another at 1333 MHz, then all the memory will eventually run at 1333 MHz. But how do you find out what your memory frequency is? In the same CPU-Z program, go to the SPD tab:

Here you can look at the information for each bar, so to speak detailed information. There is a menu on the left, where you can select the memory slot on the motherboard, so I have Slot #4 selected there, because that is where my memory stick is installed. That is, in this menu you select a memory slot to view information about the bar, well, I hope that’s clear. And look what I have written here? Actually, everything you need to know in order to understand what kind of RAM is on your computer is written here. Look, here is the most important information, here it is:

So, once again, what information is indicated here about the memory bar? This is the memory type DDR3, the capacity of the stick is 8192 MB (8 gigs), the memory type is PC3-12800, in brackets then there is a frequency of 800 MHz, this is the actual operating frequency. The effective frequency is 1600 MHz, because 800 * 2 will be 1600. That is, if you suddenly buy memory for yourself, then you need to tell the store that, for example, you need a DDR3 1600 MHz memory stick or just PC3-12800 and they will understand you. Although I have never used a name like PC3-12800, I’m somehow already used to the fact that there is DDR3 1333 MHz, DDR3 1600 MHz, and so on, it’s somehow easier for me

Oh, I forgot to write some very important information! You know, there is some memory that only works with the Intel platform, another that only works with the AMD platform... Therefore, if you buy memory, be sure to check this point, it is very important! I don’t know if this applies to DDR3 or DDR4, but when I bought DDR2, there were some for Intel, others for AMD, and others for both platforms.

There’s just one funny thing, and to be honest, I’m even a little surprised; in short, I couldn’t find the manufacturer of the bracket in CPU-Z. The fact is that I have a Kingston bracket (later it turned out that this is not the case), but the most that I learned is that on the SPD tab, well, where the slot is selected, there is information there, and that’s the maximum that I found this is a manufacturer of chips on the bracket, for me it’s Hyundai Electronics (in fact, the manufacturer is written here, for me it’s Hynix). But the fact that I have a Kingston bar is nowhere to be found and you know, this is very strange! I didn’t notice this before, because I knew what brand my bracket was, so in CPU-Z I could only look at detailed information about the bracket. Anyway, guys, I’m a little surprised and a little upset that I noticed such a jamb in CPU-Z ..

If you still need to find out exactly the manufacturer of the RAM, then you can download the AIDA64 program, but the strangest thing is that even it did not show me the real manufacturer of the RAM:

Well guys, this is just some kind of mysticism...

Hmm, but now you know what I thought? Or maybe there is no bug in the CPU-Z program? Maybe it's a bug in me? Because I had the idea that it might be I myself don’t know exactly what DDR3 bar I have! Right now I turned on the flashlight on my Sony Ericsson K750 and went to open the side cover of the computer and look at some kind of strip there, because I was really interested... Well, in short, as always, the sticker is no longer on the strip, I probably tore it off, bummer ! But I’m thinking, maybe I still have Hynix? The bar is not green, as usual with Kingston, but dark blue...

All the guys, hurray, I found out exactly what my level is! Do you know how you found out? I bought it in an online store, and then I logged into my account again, well, into the online store, and there I saw that it was the Hynix DDR3-1600 8192MB PC3-12800 that I bought! So the bar is not Kingston, but Hynix. It's good that I finally got to the bottom of the truth. So CPU-Z and AIDA64 show everything correctly, I still have a Hynix bracket! So sorry guys here

So, let's do it again. AIDA64 correctly showed that I really have a Hynix bracket. CPU-Z also really showed everything, in the Manufacturer field the manufacturer of the bracket is written, and there I have Hyundai Electronics written, this is Hynix! Well, finally, now I understand everything and told you all this, now I hope everything is clear to you and now you know how to find out what type of memory is on a computer and who its manufacturer is.

Well guys, that’s all, sorry that the article turned out to be a bit long, you just see for yourself, this joke happened to me, I’m shocked that I actually have Hynix, and I all the time thought that Kingston, damn it.. Well, all the guys, good luck to you and may everything go well for you

17.12.2016

RAM (Random Access Memory) is an important component of the operating system. She means volatile device, which allows you to store executable machine code, as well as input and intermediate commands processed by the processor. This device operates only when voltage is applied to the module, i.e. while the computer is running. Interruption of the PC leads to the destruction of stored information. In this material we will take a detailed look at how a user can find out the RAM of his computer and what characteristics he needs to pay attention to.

First of all, you may need to find out the RAM when needs to be replaced bar in order to increase the amount of RAM or when it fails. The amount of RAM primarily affects the overall performance of the computer. The larger its volume, the faster programs will run.

When an application runs, it uses some of the RAM to store the code it is executing. If there is insufficient memory, the system uses the paging file (space on the hard drive that is used if the amount of RAM is not enough to carry out full work). The disadvantage of using a page file is that communication speed This memory is significantly lower compared to RAM. The computer begins to slow down and there is no need to talk about comfortable work.

To choose the right stick, you need to know the RAM specification, frequency, voltage, volume, timing, voltage, form factor.

Determining your RAM

standard. Depending on performance and design features, modern memory is divided into the following types: “DDR2”, “DDR3” and “DDR4”. Nowadays, as a rule, module manufacturers use “DDR3” and “DDR4”;
volume. This parameter implies the amount of data that can be stored in memory cells;
frequency. The parameter means the speed of operations per unit of time;
timing. These are time delays between sending a controller command and its execution;
voltage. The voltage required for optimal operation of the bar;
technical product standard. The physical size and shape of the RAM stick, as well as the number and location of pins on the board.

Visual inspection

RAM is a rectangular strip, most often green, with chips located on the surface. Typically, the manufacturer attaches a special sticker on the surface where the characteristics of the device are indicated.

In some cases, manufacturers may not provide any additional information. The advantage of this method is that the user receives detailed information about the module specification. The disadvantages include the fact that not all manufacturers provide information about the characteristics of the RAM and laptop owners will have to remove the back cover.

In order to find out what memory is installed on your computer DDR2 or DDR3 and other characteristics, you will need to perform the following steps:

disconnect the computer or laptop from the network;
after that, remove the side cover from the system unit. On a laptop, you will first need to remove the battery and open the service cover on the back panel;
carefully remove the module from the connector and examine the sticker.

For example, let's take RAM from the manufacturer Crucial (for a laptop) and consider it in detail.

We are interested in the inscription “2GB 204 – PIN DDR3 SODIMM PC3 – 12”:

« 2 G.B." is the amount of installed memory;
« 204 – PIN» — form factor (number of contacts);
« DDR3» — type of RAM;
« SODIMM» — form factor (this bracket is intended for laptops);
« PC3 – 12"—module type and bandwidth. In this case, the throughput is 12.8 Gb/sec.

Now let's look at a RAM bar for a personal computer from the ADATA manufacturer.

Here we will be interested in the line “DDR4 2133(15) 4GBx8 U-DIMM”:

« DDR4"—type of RAM. At the moment it is the most productive solution. Operates at high frequencies;
« 2133 » — frequency in MHz;
« (15) » — timing (the amount of delay between the receipt of a command and its execution);
« 4GBx8» — 8 modules of 4 GB each;
« UDIMM" - a type of DIMM memory, the prefix "U" means the absence of a buffer - this increases the risk of errors when accessing cells. However, such errors are not critical for ordinary personal computers. Therefore, problems with non-register “UDIMM” memory should not arise.

Let's consider another type of RAM, where the manufacturer indicated the following data on the sticker.

The module manufacturer in this case is GOOD RAM. Here we see the following line: “DDR2 1GB PC6400 DIMM”;

« DDR2» RAM type. At the moment it is practically not used. But it still occurs on some PCs and laptops;
« 1 G.B." - volume;
« PC6400» — bus frequency. In this case it is 800 MHz;
« DIMM» (Dual In-line Memory Module) – double-sided memory module. In it, the contacts are located on both parts of the module and are independent of each other.

Also, RAM strips differ in the number of contacts; let’s take a closer look at these examples:

Specification table:

ModulesDDR4:

Through the BIOS and through the UEFI interface you can view the characteristics of the installed memory. First, let's look at the process for BIOS:

Let's look at the process for UEFI:

Advantages:

Thanks to this method, you can check several RAM modules;
The UEFI interface allows you to quickly get the information you need. This is possible thanks to the intuitive interface.

Flaws:

difficult navigation. If the user does not have experience using BIOS, then it will be difficult to find the necessary information;
In older BIOS versions, the necessary information may not be provided.

Using standard Windows tools

You can find out how much RAM is on your Windows 7/8/10 computer using standard operating system tools. They cannot show detailed memory parameters, but only some data. In the Windows 10 operating system, you can get much more data than in lower editions. Next, we will consider the main methods.

A way to find out the specifications for Windows 10:

The second method involves using information about the computer:

The third method involves using the utility " System Information»:

Third Party Applications

There are enough applications for the Windows operating system that can diagnose the system and find out detailed characteristics. Next, let's look at applications that allow you to get all the necessary information about the installed RAM.

CPU-Z

A small program that allows you to find out the detailed characteristics of your computer. There will be no difficulties when using it. In addition, CPU-Z does not require installation.

Instructions:

AIDA64

A functional utility that allows you to full computer diagnostics, and also perform system stability testing. Through the use of monitoring, users can find out what resources are being used by the system at a given time.

Instructions:

HWINFO64-32

A simple and convenient application for diagnosing system and hardware components. At the same time, users can install the Portable version of the software, which does not require installation.

Instructions :

download the program HWINFO64-32;
unpack the archive to the desktop and run the executable file;
then go to the section “ Memory» which provides detailed information about the installed RAM.

A free program that allows you to obtain detailed information about the system and hardware components. In addition to the free version, there is also a PRO version with advanced functionality.

Information:

The amount of computer RAM, or random access memory (RAM), is one of its most important characteristics. Even if the computer has a fairly powerful processor, but the amount of memory is not enough to run resource-intensive applications, this will immediately affect the performance, which will be significantly reduced. The situation is aggravated by the fact that with each software update, as a rule, the demands on the computer resources used increase.

Therefore, sooner or later, users have a question - how to find out the computer’s RAM in order to increase its volume if necessary?
The amount of RAM in modern computers is measured in Gigabytes (GB). To check the amount of RAM installed in your computer, follow these steps:

On Windows XP

Click the “Start” button and in the menu that appears, right-click on “My Computer.” The same can be done on the desktop if there is a “My Computer” shortcut on it.
After right-clicking, a context menu will appear, in which select “Properties”.
In the window that opens, go to the “General” tab, where basic information about the computer will be displayed: information about the processor and the amount of RAM.

On Windows Vista and Windows 7

On Mac OS X
In the upper left corner, click the Apple icon () and select “About This PC” from the menu that appears. A window will open in which you can get the most important information about this computer, including the amount of RAM.

On Linux
You can find out the full amount of RAM on your computer in Linux by launching the system monitor from the “System” - “Administration” section or by running the following command in the terminal:

cat /proc/meminfo

You can also view RAM data using third-party computer diagnostic utilities such as Everest, CPU-Z, Sandra Sisoft, or by entering the computer's BIOS. If the computer does not turn on, then you can determine its RAM only by looking at the labels on the stickers of the memory modules and gaining access to them.

Based on data on the current amount of RAM on your computer, you can outline ways to increase it and improve performance in resource-intensive tasks. When increasing the amount of RAM in 32-bit systems, note that they cannot address more than 3.0-3.5 Gigabytes of RAM.