Where do I put all this information?
 
| Required: | YES |
| Price: | $20-$100 |
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Random Access Memory (RAM)
Imagine, if you will, a business with 1,000 clients and no filing cabinet. All the paperwork is just stacked in the corner. All the paperwork is there, and can be found if needed, but very inefficiently. Now, this could be solved by purchasing a filing cabinet and organizing all the information so it can be easily found and edited.
This is quite a bit like a computer, except it refuses to put anything 'in the corner'; so it beeps instead. RAM in a computer is a bit like a filing cabinet. It is a storage space for programs to put information they may need later. Without RAM your computer will not work.
Lets continue the analogy and imagine that the business owner only bought a two drawer filing cabinet. They file their most active customers in the memory for easy access, but the rest lay neglected. Wouldn't it be nicer to have 4 drawers to store everything? The more RAM you have, the more room programs will have to store information, thus speeding up your computer.
How much RAM do I need? (and Weird Al / Hitchhiker's Guide References)
Think of the highest number you can and times it by 8 (because RAM always comes in multiples of 8). Now add an MB at the end. That ought to be enough. Let's start with '64'. 64 is bigger than 42, which is 'the answer to life, the universe and everything' so 64 ought to be plenty big. Now times it by 8 making 512.
512MB is the minimum I would put in any computer, especially with the decreasing prices of RAM.
Now, Finding RAM that is compatible used to be an absolute pain in the neck. With tools such as those on the next two pages, you'll have no trouble whatsoever. Check if you motherboard has a recommended RAM brand. If it says Kingston or Corsair, there are handy tools you can use to find perfect RAM every time.
Use one of the links below to pick up your RAM. If your motherboard doesn't give a recommended brand, you can choose either of the links below and it will help you find the proper RAM.
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Tutorial: