Every game requires RAM in order to run, that RAM varies from one game to another. The new titles in 2021 require at least 8GB of RAM on average. So, a system having RAM below that will cause frames drops and laggy gameplay.
Does RAM affect FPS?
Suppose, your PC has a total of 4GB of RAM and the game you play requires 4GB of RAM as well. In that case, a total of 4GB of RAM would be insufficient for you. Because, your system, is not only running the game at one time. It is running a couple of background software and most importantly the OS. All the software products require RAM to run.
In this case, you will face significant frames drop and your game would shutter a lot and it will become unplayable for you. However, if you get a total of 8GB of RAM, that would run the game smoothly along with the OS and other software as well.
So, if you jump from 4GB of RAM to 8GB. That would help you increase the frames per second of the game. However, if you upgrade your RAM from 8GB to 32GB then that would be overkill and useless. Because 8GB was more than enough for you, and the rest of the 24GB is of no use.
Hopefully, these examples will clear your confusion very well. Let’s dig into more details below.
What does RAM do for gaming
RAM acts as a temporary data storage space for ongoing processes, where it reads and writes data simultaneously, and holds instructions for further processes.
RAM stores data from ongoing services. Data stored in the RAM is completely versatile, which means it would be cleared once the device is turned off. Without adequate RAM, processes in your computer would slow down, causing it to crash. A higher RAM storage space means better performance in gaming.
During gaming, the CPU has to retrieve data from the hard disk to run the game. Internal hard disk drives are slow and usually have limited space. RAMs act as a buffer and increase storage space while also giving the CPU a higher reading speed.
Your entire game data is stored in the hard drive or solid-state drive. It is inefficient for the CPU to collect the data from them. Hence, your computer moves the data into the RAM to quickly load it. This is because the RAM collects the data packets from the hard disk and reads them simultaneously.
With a low RAM space, your computer won’t be able to load all the info it requires to run the game, which results in a laggy frame rate and an overall poor performance. A complete lack of RAM could result in the game not working at all.
It is vital to note that dedicated graphics card have their internal RAM, called vRAM. This is different from normal RAM and is completely focused on giving your graphics a touch-up. With a higher vRAM, you could play games in a higher FPS without having to worry about inadequate RAM.
Does RAM Increase Gaming Performance?
Although RAM allows games to load efficiently, a higher RAM does not always account for better gameplay. If you have more RAM than the information you need to load, the rest of the RAM goes to waste.
Think about it in this way. If you have a RAM of 32 GB and only use 2 GB for gaming at 1080p, then the rest of the RAM is not utilized and goes to waste. While having a little extra RAM is never a bad thing, unused RAM is wasted RAM.
Is 8GB RAM Enough For Gaming?
8GB RAM is considered the lowest acceptable amount of RAM for Gaming. Anything below 8GB RAM will lead to a slower performance speed or would hinder video quality.
8GB RAM is also best suited for those who have a basic level of productivity or are playing mid-tier games occasionally. You could do plenty of productive tasks on 8GB but if you plan to run something memory intensive while carrying out another process simultaneously you could easily exceed your memory limit.
You can run most games on 8GB RAM smoothly, at mid-range graphic settings, however with bigger titles, or to play games at higher settings, 8GB RAM would start to feel a little inadequate for gaming.
How Much RAM Do I Need For Gaming?
Generally, the accepted threshold for RAM is situated at 8GB for normal gaming. There is a minute difference between gaming with 8GB RAM and 16GB RAM.
Despite some older games being able to run at 4GB RAM, there is no point in investing in a RAM that low. This is due to the fact games becoming more and more complex each year, requiring more and more RAM.
In foresight, the best option is to take a RAM of 16 GB to completely future-proof your PC or to use it for heavy multitasking or video editing. Even though you wouldn’t see a notable difference in gaming performance, it would be a good idea when games become more complex and start requiring more RAM than the acceptable 8GB.
Conclusion:
All in all, RAM will not affect your FPS at a considerable amount. For higher tier games or memory-intensive tasks, it is recommended to invest in a higher storage RAM, but for normal day-to-day activities and gaming, a RAM of 8GB is acceptable.
If you lack RAM for games then a higher RAM would increase your FPS. However, a considerable amount of RAM would usually go to waste if left unused.
