While plenty of people understand that a hard drive holds applications, documents, pictures, files, and everything else on your computer, understanding the RAM is a little trickier. While RAM is not a permanent space for all of your files, like a computer's hard drive, it does play a critical role in what your device can store and how fast it can operate. Here’s what you should know about RAM and whether you should get a computer upgrade to boost your device. 

What Is RAM?

RAM, which stands for random access memory, is the place laptops, tablets, and smartphones store data they'll need to draw on quickly and regularly. Without it, a computer would have to continually access its hard drive. A useful way of looking at RAM is as your computer's short-term memory. 

One reason tech-savvy people and industry professionals put a great deal of value on RAM is because of how it affects your computer's speed and capabilities. A computer with a lot of RAM can run a lot of applications simultaneously without slowing down. Devices with less RAM, on the other hand, will start to lag as soon as too many browsers are open or too many programs are running at once. 

When Should You Get a Computer Upgrade to Add More RAM?

Whether or not you should get a computer upgrade to increase RAM depends on what you do on your computer. If you only use your computer for occasional web browsing, more might not be necessary, but if you use it to stream music and videos, play games, and sometimes carry out all of those tasks at once, more RAM gives you a faster, smoother user experience. 

If you’re looking for a store that offers computer repair and upgrades and sells both new and pre-owned Apple^® devices, contact Experimac Canton in Stark County, OH. The experienced technicians diagnose and fix a wide variety of problems and regularly carry out computer upgrades to boost RAM. Visit the computer repair store's website to learn more about its range of services, or call (330) 409-7005 to speak with a friendly representative.