当您的计算机开始变慢时(slowing down)，您可能听到的第一个建议是进行RAM升级。毕竟，您拥有的RAM越多，您的 PC 工作就越流畅，对吧？
不完全的。虽然系统内存是计算机性能的重要组成部分，但它只是一个组成部分。还有许多其他因素会影响计算机速度，从硬盘到操作系统本身。
其中任何一个都可能成为阻碍您的计算机的瓶颈，在这种情况下，内存升级不会解决任何问题。但是这些因素究竟是如何相互作用的呢？什么时候获得额外的RAM是个好主意？让我们深入了解一下。
瓶颈 #1：硬盘
当有人抱怨系统性能缓慢时，他们到底是什么意思？他们是(Are)在谈论在运行将系统推向极限的复杂科学算法时遇到的问题吗？
很可能不是。当人们谈到他们的 PC 运行缓慢时，他们通常指的是程序的加载时间。Windows 启动时间太长，应用程序加载太慢，网站速度慢，诸如此类。
此类问题的根本原因不是随机存取存储器(Random Access Memory)( RAM )，而通常是硬盘驱动器。正是硬盘(HDD)的缓慢读/写速度导致计算机的日常功能以蜗牛的速度爬行。
如果您以前从未使用过固态硬盘(Drive)( SSD )，那么您不会相信其中的区别。只需从传统 HDD 切换到 SSD(switching from a traditional HDD to an SSD)，即可为任何计算机提供巨大的速度提升，无论其内存容量如何。
即使您要升级系统RAM，除非硬盘驱动器足够快以跟上更高的速度，否则您的 PC 性能将保持不变。
瓶颈 #2：网速
您计算机上最常用的应用程序是什么？一旦答案是Microsoft Excel或其他离线应用程序。但是，基于云的应用程序的迅速普及极大地改变了使用习惯。从Google Docs到Onedrive，从Facebook到 Youtube，您可能大部分时间都在使用网络浏览器上网。
如果您发现Chrome 上的互联网浏览速度(Chrome to be slower)比平时慢，请不要急于宣布RAM容量是罪魁祸首。问题可能是互联网连接不佳。
除了网络(quality of the network)本身的质量之外，决定互联网连接速度的是Wifi卡。(Wifi)对于大多数笔记本电脑，此卡内置于主板本身。如果您使用的是旧电脑，请考虑先升级Wifi卡。
那么什么时候需要更多 RAM？
根据经验，16GB 的 RAM 足以(16GB of RAM is sufficient)满足普通 PC 用户的需求。大多数入门级笔记本电脑仅配备 8 GB RAM，这很好，但不是最佳选择。您会发现您的 PC在大量使用期间使用硬盘存储来创建虚拟内存。(virtual memory)这样的系统通常会留下一个空插槽，因此您可以轻松安装另一个内存模块而不会干扰任何东西。
现在，你什么时候应该付出更多？一般来说，除非您是游戏玩家或在系统上进行大量视频编辑，否则 16 GB 的RAM就足够了。您可以使用任务管理器(Task Manager)检查RAM使用情况并确定您的计算机需要多少RAM 。
对于某些用途，例如多任务处理或Photoshop等视觉程序，没有上限。您添加的RAM(RAM)越多，这些应用程序的工作就越流畅，有时会以内存容量为代价。
CPU呢？
有一个普遍的误解，即CPU时钟速度可能是内存性能的瓶颈。虽然理论上确实如此，但实际上您的系统很少会遇到这种情况。大多数现代处理器都足够强大，可以处理最快的 RAM 速度(fastest RAM speed)，而不会出现任何延迟问题。
即使在视频编辑或游戏等计算密集型任务中，大部分繁重的工作也是由GPU执行的。显卡还带有自己的RAM，其内存速度高于您可以购买的任何DDR3 或 DDR4 RAM 模块。(DDR3 or DDR4)
您可以使用英特尔(Intel)系列中的任何处理器，您将获得或多或少相同的性能，而通过使用更快的芯片获得的优势微乎其微。在日常性能方面，硬盘驱动器和操作系统等因素更为重要。
判决
更多的RAM并不一定会使您的计算机运行得更快(work faster)。瓶颈通常源于缓慢的硬盘驱动器或过时的 Wi-Fi 卡，从而阻止了 RAM 的充分利用。
即使您是游戏玩家，升级GPU所带来的影响也会比RAM更大。内存仅用于保存加载的资产；每帧实际处理它们是显卡的工作。
当您的笔记本电脑或台式电脑只有 8 GB 或只有一个内存模块时，添加RAM是一件轻而易举的事。(RAM)在任何其他情况下，请仔细查看您的系统规格以决定它需要的升级。
Does More RAM Make Your Computer Faster?
When your computer starts slowing down, the first advice you may hear is to go for a RAM upgrade. After all, the more the amount of RAM you have, the more smoothly your PC works, right?
Not quite. While system memory is an important component of computer performance, it is just that – a component. There are many other factors that impact computer speed, from the hard drive to even your operating system itself.
Any of these can be a bottleneck holding back your computer, in which case a memory upgrade wouldn’t solve anything. But how exactly do these factors interplay with one other? When is it a good idea to get additional RAM? Let’s take a deep dive.
Bottleneck #1: The Hard Drive
When someone complains about slow system performance, what exactly do they mean? Are they talking about problems encountered in running a complex scientific algorithm that pushes the system to the limit?
Most likely not. When people speak of their PC running slowly, they usually refer to the load times of programs. Windows taking too much time to boot, applications loading up too slowly, slow websites, that sort of thing.
And the root cause of such issues isn’t the Random Access Memory (RAM), but rather it’s often the hard disk drive. It is the slow read/write speeds of the HDD that causes routine functions of the computer to crawl at a snail’s pace.
If you have never used a Solid-State Drive (SSD) before, then you wouldn’t believe the difference. Simply switching from a traditional HDD to an SSD provides a massive speed boost to any computer, regardless of its memory capacity.
Even if you were to upgrade the system RAM, unless the hard disk drive is fast enough to keep pace with the higher speeds, your PC’s performance will remain unimproved.
Bottleneck #2: Internet Speed
What is the most frequently used application on your computer? Once the answer would have been Microsoft Excel or another offline application. But the soaring popularity of cloud-based apps has drastically altered usage habits. From Google Docs to Onedrive, Facebook to Youtube, you probably spend most of your time online using a web browser.
And if you find internet browsing on Chrome to be slower than usual, don’t rush to declare the RAM capacity to be the culprit. The problem might possibly be poor internet connectivity.
Apart from the quality of the network itself, it is the Wifi card that decides the speed of your internet connections. For most notebooks, this card comes built into the motherboard itself. If you are using an older PC, consider upgrading the Wifi card first.
So When Do You Need More RAM?
As a rule of thumb, 16GB of RAM is sufficient for the average PC user. Most entry-level laptops come with only 8 GB of RAM, which is fine but not optimal. You will find your PC using hard drive storage to create virtual memory during heavy usage. Such systems usually leave a slot empty, so you can easily install another memory module without disturbing anything.
Now, when should you go for more than that? Generally speaking, unless you are a gamer or do much video editing on your system, sixteen gigabytes is enough RAM. You can use the Task Manager to check the RAM usage and determine how much RAM your computer needs.
For some uses, such as multitasking or visual programs like Photoshop, there is no upper limit. The more RAM you add, the smoother these applications work, trading memory capacity for a time.
What About the CPU?
There is a common misconception that the CPU clock speed can be a bottleneck for memory performance. While that is indeed theoretically true, in practice your system will rarely run into such situations. Most modern processors are powerful enough to handle the fastest RAM speed without any latency issues.
Even during compute-intensive tasks like video editing or gaming, the bulk of the heavy-lifting is carried out by the GPU. The graphics card comes with its own RAM as well, with a memory speed higher than any DDR3 or DDR4 RAM module you could buy.
You could use any processor of an Intel lineup and you will get more or less the same performance, with minimal advantages by going for a faster chip. When it comes to everyday performance, things like the hard disk drive and operating system matter more.
Verdict
More RAM doesn’t necessarily make your computer work faster. The bottleneck usually stems from a slow hard disk drive or an outdated Wi-Fi card, preventing the RAM from being utilized to its fullest.
Even if you are a gamer, you will see more of an impact by upgrading the GPU than the RAM. The memory is only used to hold the loaded assets; it is the job of the graphics card to actually process them per frame.
Adding RAM is a no-brainer when your laptop or desktop computer is sitting at just 8 GB or has a single memory module. In any other scenario, take a good look at your system’s specs to decide on the upgrades it needs.
