When you're shopping for a new or refurbished MacBook®, one of the key considerations is how much memory it contains. This feature, referred to as RAM, is crucial to the level of performance you get from the device, so it's important to decide how much you need before you narrow down your laptop choices. Here's what you should know about MacBook memory.

What Is RAM?

RAM stands for random access memory, a type of high-speed, temporary memory storage. It's what your computer uses to keep track of your keystrokes and onscreen selections, such as when you compose and format a word processing document or play your way through a level of a video game before permanently saving your work to the hard drive. 

It's fast enough that it can keep up with the changes you make, but if you have more apps and programs open than it can handle, it can struggle. Because it's temporary, if your device shuts down before you've saved your work, you'll lose all your progress. 

How Much RAM Do You Need?

The amount of RAM you need varies based on your computer activity. High-intensity activities like video editing and gaming require considerable RAM to keep up with the rapid onscreen changes that occur. Casual activities like surfing the web and sending emails require much less.

If you're just a casual computer user, a standard MacBook's 8 GB of RAM should be more than sufficient for your needs. You could probably even get by satisfactorily with 4 GB, though if you like to have multiple apps open at once, such as Microsoft Word®, Safari®, and Apple Music®, you may experience lag. 

However, if you are an avid gamer or use your new or refurbished MacBook for movie editing, music production, intensive photo work, or other power-hungry activities, you might notice reduced performance in content creation. These occur because the existing RAM is filling up and struggling to keep up with the changes you make. For intense activities, consider a device with 16 GB of RAM so that you don't experience glitches or slowdowns.

If you're in the market for a refurbished MacBook, stop by Experimax Portsmouth. They serve customers in Rockingham County, NH, and the surrounding communities, providing friendly service and invaluable advice. Because MacBook models built after 2012 cannot be upgraded by the owner, they'll work with you to help you choose a device that has all the RAM you need. They also specialize in hard drive repair, virus removal, and data recovery. Learn more about them on their website or call (603) 501-0410 to ask about refurbished MacBook pricing and availability.