There are a lot of reasons to upgrade your computer these days: newer games, new operating systems, and increased computer usage, all start to bring to the surface performance issues.  One of the most difficult things when your computer is running slowly, is really knowing why. There are a lot of reasons for a slow computer. It could be one of many things: a computer virus, spyware, software bloat, slow processor, low hard drive space, or low RAM, just to name a few.  While adding RAM to your computer is quick, easy, and affordable, knowing in what situations you need it, is most important.  Let’s go through some basic assumptions, things you should check before considering a memory upgrade. (by the way RAM is often referred to as memory, not to be confused with hard drive space)

1. Your computer has been scanned and has no Spyware or Virus Infections.
2. You have watched and executed our MSCONFIG video.
3. You have at least 10 percent of hard drive space available.
4. You have defragmented your hard drive.
5. At some point you remember your computer being fast enough.

Most likely, there are a few other things you might want to check, but this is a great place to start. Now, some common reasons for needing a RAM upgrade are: installing a new software that has more requirements, using your computer for more things, running multiple software programs at once like word, excel, browsing the web, and listening to music, or perhaps you are installing a new game that requires it.
The other situation to remember is when you buy a new computer,  you are purchasing it from almost anyone Dell, HP, Toshiba, or any other major computer provider. These companies typically offer the least amount of RAM required to run your system. Many times we have brand new computers in the repair shop for a quick RAM upgrade.  Below are some really basic guidelines we try to follow when telling people how much ram they need.

Windows XP-1GB+
Windows Vista-2GB+
Windows 7-4GB+

It’s also important to keep in mind, that in some areas, other parts of your computer can make up for things. Sometimes if your processor is much faster, you may be able to get by with less RAM. Although, as a general rule of thumb, it is one of the easiest things you can do to upgrade your computer and has the biggest bang for your buck!

If you want to see how much RAM your computer can even support, here is a link to see that. This is a company called Crucial.com. We have been buying RAM from them for years. They have a lifetime warranty on their product, and on top of that, amazing prices with the biggest selection. Anyway, more importantly, they have this neat little application to scan your system.