How Many Ram Slots Do I Need

To test whether or not you actually need 16GB of RAM to get some gaming done, we shoved an 8GB kit of RAM – two 4GB sticks for dual-channel performance – into our test bench with an AMD Ryzen. I'm gonna build my own computer and I'm thinking of getting the ASRock 3N78D motherboard which has 4 ram slots. How many do I need to fill? I've heard somewhere that you need 2 or 4 identical ram cards so I'm kinda confused.

I’ve reviewed before whether adding more RAM (memory) can make a computer run faster. The article gave a general guide to RAM requirements and showed how to find out if a computer would benefit from more RAM.

If you do need to add more RAM (or replace existing RAM modules with larger capacities), how can you find out which type of RAM you need to buy?Here are 2 simple ways to find out which type of RAM you need to buy.

1. Speccy – Speccy is a free system information tool from Piriform – the company behind Ccleaner (which we have recommended before as the best way to delete temporary files from a computer).

See our separate review of Speccy for more details and how to download. Run Speccy and select the RAM tab as shown below:

The ‘SPD’ section shows that there are 2 modules (sticks) of RAM – 1 per slot. The type is DDR2 and the size of each stick is 1024MB which is 1GB – i.e. 2GB RAM in total. The ‘Max Bandwidth’ category is the specification of the RAM – in this case it is PC2-5300.

Armed with this information we now know everything we need to buy more RAM. In this case there are only 2 RAM slots and both are already used so we would probably look for 2 x 2GB sticks of PC2-5300 DDR2 RAM to replace the current memory and provide a new total of 4GB.

2. Crucial.com Scanner Tool – Alternatively, the Crucial System Scanner can automatically analyze your computer and suggest a compatible RAM upgrade. [I’m not endorsing Crucial as a supplier but you can use the tool whether you buy from them or not]

Visit the Crucial Scanner website, tick the box to agree to the T&Cs then Download the Scanner – save it to desktop then run it. The scan results open in your web browser and should reveal the following:

• Memory type (this is the specification – PC2-5300 DDR2 in our example above)
• Maximum memory supported by the motherboard
• Amount of currently installed memory
• Number of RAM slots
• Number of available (empty) RAM slots

RAM Upgrade Tips

Before adding RAM, double check inside the computer first to ensure there is a slot free to take the new RAM – and that it is easily accessible:

• PCs usually have at least 2 RAM slots – some may have 3 or 4+
• Laptops and netbooks usually have 2 RAM slots but sometimes only 1 – or the second is very hard to access without substantial disassembly…

Before upgrading or adding RAM, always check that the motherboard is compatible – both with the new module RAM size and the total amount of RAM:

• For laptops and big-brand PCs, the manufacturer’s website should reveal this information.
• Alternatively, Speccy displays the motherboard make/model on the Motherboard tab:

• In this example, the motherboard is a P5N-MX made by ASUS – a quick Google search led to the detailed specs on ASUS website which showed that it supports a maximum of 4GB.

Check your Windows version:

• 32bit versions of Windows can only access/use a maximum of up to 3.5GB of RAM – so upgrading to 4GB and beyond is pointless.
• 64bit versions of Windows can access/use more – up to 8GB on Basic versions and up to 16GB on Home Premium versions. However, unless you have applications that require (or can use) such huge amounts of RAM, most computers will not gain much (if any) speed improvement from upgrading beyond 4GB.

Adding quicker RAM:

• You may be tempted to add RAM which is a quicker speed than your current memory e.g. PC2-6400 instead of PC2-5300. In theory, quicker RAM should be compatible with slower RAM of the same type – it will drop down its speed to match. However, we have seen motherboards which refuse to accept RAM modules of different speeds (or speeds that are higher than it was designed for) – do check motherboard compatibility carefully.

Conclusion

It isn’t difficult to check which type of RAM you need to upgrade (or replace faulty) memory but there are a few guidelines to be aware of. However, if a computer is running out of memory, adding more can be the most worthwhile and cost effective upgrade you can make.

How much do RAM do you need for video editing? 16GB, 32GB or 64GB? Does your computer freeze up when previewing video? You face the problem of video editor crash while working? If yes, I’ll try to help you and recommend the best RAM for video editing and tell you what to pay attention to when increasing the RAM.

How Much RAM Is Needed for Video Editing?

RAM is the main temporary storage area of the entire computing system. RAM is faster than a hard disk, so the goal of video editing is to save as much information as possible in RAM. Although 8 GB of RAM sounds like enough, one-quarter of this is used by the operating system, leaving only 6 GB for you video editor.

It is possible to rank the RAM by capacity if considering several variants of video editing. The list starts with the smallest, taking into account the capabilities and formats of the video, clearly showing how much RAM is needed for video editing.

• Read more about the best video editing softwares.

8GB – will suit you if you are editing 720p files. 4K editing is impossible or it will be unbearable. You may have to close other apps.

16 GB – will be enough if you are editing 1080p commercials with almost no effects or want to edit 4K files. You will have problems with background tasks. Is 16GB RAM enough for 4K editing? It depends on the complexity of video montage you do.

32 GB – will allow editing all kinds of files, including 4K, working with long videos (full-length movies) or creating many visual effects. This is the optimal capacity of RAM needed for video editing.

64 GB – an impressive amount of RAM. It is a must for those who plan to edit 8K files or work with advanced moving graphics in Adobe After Effects in combination with 3D modeling and animation in Cinema 4D. These files will not work on computers with 8-16 GB, and they will be slowed down in the case of 32 GB.

Considering the capabilities of 16GB vs 32GB RAM video editing, I can state that 16GB RAM is the minimum for video, and 32GB RAM is ideal.

• Read more about the best computer for video editing.

What to Know Before Buying RAM?

How Many Ram Slots Do I Need To Be

Do you know that after installing RAM, it simply may not give you the necessary speed? Moreover, you may not have the place to install it. That’s why you must take a few points into consideration.

Available Free Slots

Make sure that your computer has free memory slots and determine their number before thinking about the best RAM for video editing. A perfect way to check the max allowable amount of RAM and its type is documentation of the computer or motherboard.

You can also find information on the manufacturers’ website. If you have Windows 10, you can do this by running Task Manager. Another option is to use a software utility or an online service, for example, CPU-Z. It is a free utility that can scan your computer and inform you about the installed memory and available slots.

For example, there are 2 RAM slots on your laptop, the chipset supports a maximum amount of 16 GB. Thus, the best option for this model is purchasing two identical modules of 8 GB.

Overall, you will benefit from the principle of dual-channel memory architecture (which is preferable, because the memory works with doubled bandwidth), that requires two modules of the same size and speed in two slots.

• Read more about the best monitor for video editing.

Decide on RAM Speed

The 'speed' of the memory or its clock speed indicates how many times per second the memory can read or change its data. This speed is measured in MHz and greatly affects the overall performance of your processor.

The minimum clock speed for DDR4 starts at 2133 MHz and without a certain maximum value, as these modules can also be overclocked. This increase also leads to an overall boost in their bandwidth – a complex indicator of RAM capacity. It takes into account the data transfer frequency, bus width and a number of memory channels.

The computer will work quickly if the RAM and the processor bus bandwidth are equal. Otherwise, the system will use a lower indicator. Also, if you install modules from different manufacturers on your computer, there may be a slight error in speed. Therefore, a lower indicator will be used, and you will not get a potential advantage. It will be great if you purchase and install RAM from one kit.

What Is the Best RAM for Video Editing?

To save your time, I prepared a short list of RAM for video editing modules. They are used by video editors for building video workstations.

1. Corsair Vengeance LPX (8GB x 2) 16GB

This 16 GB kit is positioned as one of the best RAM for gaming. You can increase your RAM load with an aluminum radiator. This RAM fully supports XMP 2.0 to facilitate overclocking. The small form factor makes this RAM ideal for mini and micro ATX motherboards and not large bodies. Address Fixthephoto company for specialized and inexpensive video editing services.

2. Crucial Ballistix Sport LT (16GB x 2) 32GB

Use intense After Effects or Fusion effects with the Ballistix 32 GB kit. This fast RAM is designed to improve performance and is already optimized for the popular X99 platform. It is ideal for simultaneous work of more than one video editing program. This RAM for video editing is faster than standard DDR4 memory. The kit is made for a very easy installation. Therefore, you do not need to worry about the BIOS configuration settings after installation.

3. Kingston HyperX Impact for Mac 16GB (2 x 8G)

Do you know that Apple charges lots of money for RAM upgrades? However, you can save some cash if you use a third-party kit.

This RAM is available in several frequencies, which give you an opportunity to use it for a variety of Macs. All in all, it is the best RAM for video editing that will help speed up your laptop. Take it into consideration if you are eager to make use of some advanced features.

• Read more about the best budget monitors.

Why Do You Need to Increase RAM?

Increasing RAM is one of the most popular ways to upgrade a computer quickly. However, are you sure that buying additional RAM will change what you need? Maybe it isn’t the problem at all? I suggest to find out what affects RAM.

Rendering Speed

How Many Ram Slots Does A Laptop Have

RAM does not greatly affect the rendering speed or visualization with drawing. CPU and GPU are responsible for this task. However, if your computer has 8 GB and you increase it to 16 GB, you may notice a difference in rendering speed.

PC will be able to allocate more resources in RAM, allowing your CPU and GPU to have more resources as well. Remember that having a good video card, processor and SSD is even more important than buying additional RAM. However, its increase can really upgrade the existing configuration.

If you are dealing with a lot of moving graphics, more RAM will help you work faster and more efficiently. Programs like Adobe After Effects require a significant amount of RAM, especially when using effects that are heavy for drawing, such as particles. Unlike video, in dynamic animation, graphics can become very complex. As a result, your computer will work slower.

• Read more about how to get Adobe After Effects for free.

Work with Large Files

If you are editing 4K video or RAW 42-megapixel photos, storage space and RAM are paramount. One RAW image file can take up 100 MB, and 4K video files can be multi-gigabyte. Your computer will process such files slowly without enough RAM. If you need to do it fast but your computer lags, you may refer to wedding video editing services.

How Many Ram Slots Do I Need Get

Preview

The main use of RAM in video editing software, in addition to running the program, is caching preview files. Caching means pre-processing or calculating effects and layers for a preview visualization. This usually happens automatically as soon as you play or view the timeline.

Now a 720p preview takes up significantly less RAM than 4K video. There are quite complex compression algorithms that allow video editing programs to use compressed data, but the difference is still huge. High-resolution footage requires more RAM.

Best Motherboard for Video Editing?

Now some of the 9th-gen Intel motherboards can use up to 128 GB of RAM (i.e. 4x32 GB DDR4 DIMM). So, buying memory with these capabilities will be a good decision.

Gigabyte Z390 UD

Consider the Gigabyte Z390 UD (Ultra Durable) if your budget is too tight. This ATX motherboard has 4 slots for RAM DDR4, software-controlled case fans, a 1 x PCIe M.2 (Key M) slot and 8 and 4-pin 12V ATX power inputs.

Moreover, it features six USB 3.0 Type-A ports, an HDMI video output and two PS/2 ports for a mouse and a keyboard.

ASRock X399 Professional Gaming sTR4

Нou have a wider range to select from if your budget isn’t limited. The ASRock X399 will be a great choice in this case. You won’t find too many motherboards created especially for the Ryzen Threadripper processors.

This processor is one of the best. However, you will enjoy the video editing even more with ASRock X399. This tandem works perfectly if you need to do several tasks at the same time. The motherboard can support up to 128GB of DDR4 memory and includes 4-way SLI or Crossfire configurations.

Z390 Aorus Pro WIFI

Z390 Aorus Pro WIFI is considered to be one of the best models on the market with ATX form factor. Its price is quite reasonable for such a set of great features which are able to improve your video editing. Intel product has reinforced PCIe slots and RGB lighting. It manages only 8th and 9th-gen LGA 1151 socket with 4 DIMM sockets of up to 64GB capacity.

Ann Young

Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more