How to find out what type of RAM you need

Step 1: Machine Type

What type of computer do I have?

A Laptop computer will require SO-DIMM RAM, which is short in length and has approximately 200pins.

A Deskop computer will require UDIMM RAM, which is longer than a laptop ram module (more than twice the size) and has approximately 240pins.

Step 2: Maximum RAM

What is the maximum amount of RAM my computer can take?

Method 1:

1. Press Windows Key + R, type “cmd” in the search bar, and press Enter.

2. On the command prompt screen, type wmic memphysical get maxcapacity, and press Enter.

3. Some numbers will appear on the screen. These numbers represent the maximum supported RAM capacity in Kilobytes. Divide the numbers by 1024 two times:

Hence, he maximum supported memory capacity is around 32 GB.

Method 2:

Check the official documentation for your machine on the manufacturers website.

Step 3: RAM Slots

How many RAM slots does my computer have?

What is the maximum RAM per slot my computer can support?

Method 1:

1. Press Windows Key + R, type “cmd” in the search bar, and press Enter.

2. On the command prompt screen, type wmic Memphysical get MemoryDevices, and press Enter.

3. A single digit number will appear on the screen underneath MemoryDevices. This number represents how many RAM slots your computer has. In our case, it says "4".

4. This means the maximum of amount RAM modules that can be installed into the computer it 4.

5. It also means, that a maximum of 8GB per slot can be installed. This is because the total Maximum RAM number (32GB in our case) is always divided by the number of slots to determine the max capacity per slot.

Examples:

Method 2:

Check the official documentation for your machine on the manufacturers website.

Step 4: Memory Generation Type

What generation of RAM do I need?

Method 1:

Task Manager will tell you what generation type your machine can support.

Hold Ctrl + Shift + Esc at the same type, or right-click the Start button and click Task Manager, to bring up the Task Manager Menu

There are five generations of UDIMM and SODIMM RAM (DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4 and DDR5) and they are not interchangeable. So if your machine says DDR4, that means it can take DDR4 and nothing else.

Method 2:

Check the official documentation for your machine on the manufacturers website.

Step 5: Memory Speed

What is the maximum amount of RAM my computer can take?

Task Manager will also tell you what is Speed of the RAM running in your machine.

Method 1:

Task Manager will tell you what generation type your machine can support.

Hold Ctrl + Shift + Esc at the same type, or right-click the Start button and click Task Manager, to bring up the Task Manager Menu

Memory RAM speed is interchangeable. However, if your machine is rated at 1600Mhz for example, and you install 2400MHz, the RAM will only run at 1600Mhz.

Note: This method wil only tell the max speed of the RAM currently running in your machine. Please see the manufacturer of your laptop or desktop for the exact maximum clock speed.

Step 6: Determine OS Bit-type

Is my computer 32-bit or 64-bit?

Method 1:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type "msinfo32" and press Enter.

2. The System Information window will open, displaying various details about your computer.

3. Look for the "System Type" field, which will indicate whether you have a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system. A 32-bit OS can only run a maximum of 3.5GB, regardless of the hardware.

Method 2:

Check the official documentation for your machine on the manufacturers website.