4GB Vs 8GB RAM How Much You Need for (Laptop/Mac/Streaming)

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4GB Vs 8GB Differences

The RAM that your system will need primarily depends on the applications that you’ll be running on the device. Pricewise, there might be very little variation between a 4GB and 8GB RAM. However, there are some other differences between these two that are worth noting.

• 4GB RAM is a good choice for fast and casual games like Chess or games with low settings as long as you’ve got a dedicated GPU. However, action-packed games like Fallout will do better with 8GB RAM.
• A 4GB RAM is sufficient if you plan to work on one task at a time. For multitasking, 8GB RAM is a better option.
• An 8GB RAM renders 5% quicker loading times for applications when compared to 4GB RAM.
• 4GB RAM tends to make the system slow and unresponsive when there are many tabs open on a browser while there are fewer chances of this happening with 8GB RAM.
• Although the price difference between 4GB and 8GB RAM is not much, the former is a better option for those who are on a shoestring budget.
• 8GB RAM offers better looking graphic textures than 4GB RAM if the system makes use of low settings.

 

Is 8GB RAM Better than 4GB RAM?

Yes, 8GB is better than 4GB ram. 8GB of RAM improved the computers overall speed and memory. Having 8GB will allow for better performance when running programs, streaming and gaming.

 

Advantages of Using 8GB of RAM Over 4GB

1. 8GB RAM makes a computer more responsive and faster than a 4GB RAM. This, in turn, enhances the overall performance of the computer.
2. 8GB RAM offers better results than 4GB when working on heavy applications like AutoCAD and Photoshop or graphics intense games with art assets and a lot of maps.
3. 8GB will help the programs load faster than 4GB, especially if you’re multitasking and want to switch between applications at a time. It also helps when working with large files such as a Word document that runs into thousands of pages.
4. 8GB RAM is preferable over 4GB RAM for gamers who expect a decent performance when playing popular titles.
5. 8GB RAM helps in overcoming audio-glitches and stuttering in video files better than 4GB RAM.
6. 8GB RAM will show faster performance than 4GB during tasks such as a Virus Scan or a Windows update starts downloading in the background.

 

Can You Use 8GB and 4GB RAM Together?

Yes, you can use 8GB and 4GB RAM together.

• The motherboard should have two separate slots to house both the 8GB and 4GB RAM. It should also be capable of supporting 12GB RAM.
• Both 8GB RAM and 4GB RAM must work at the same clock speed or frequency. If they work at different frequencies, the motherboard will set the lower frequency for both the RAMs. This will lower the data transmission speed. They must also be of the same type and generation, as well as have the same number of pins.
• The 8GB RAM and 4GB RAM will work together effectively only in single-channel mode.

For faster and better performance, you must consider using two RAM sticks of the same capacity. This means that it’s always better to choose two 8GB RAMs or two 4GB RAMs together.

Sometimes, you may also have to swap the slots of both the RAM sticks.

 

1 x 8GB Vs 2 x 4GB Sticks

Both 1 x 8GB and 2 x 4GB sticks have their advantages and disadvantages.

 

1 x 8GB stick

Pros

• This stick is often a better option if you plan to upgrade the RAM at a later stage.

 

Cons

• It may take a longer time to process multiple tasks with the stick.
• You’ll also not be able to use your computer unless you get a replacement for the faulty stick.

 

2 x 4GB stick

Pros

• These sticks support dual-channel memory operations that in turn increase the memory throughput between the RAM and memory controller. This gives you better performance.
• If there are multiple processes to be executed such as high-intensity programs, they will be distributed uniformly in this case. The execution time will be lesser.
• With 2 x 4GB sticks, you can continue using your computer after removing the faulty stick till you get a replacement.

 

Cons

• An upgrade is usually not possible with 2 x 4GB sticks, especially if you’ve only two RAM slots.

 

Is 4GB Enough for a Laptop?

Yes, 4GB of RAM is enough for the average computer user. It is enough memory to play video, games, operate word processors and visit websites.

However, depending on what you use the laptop for, 4GB RAM may or may not be enough.

Here are some instances when it will and will not suffice.

 

What 4GB is enough for:

• Basic office work like preparing Word documents and PowerPoint presentations.
• Surfing the Internet with just a couple of tabs or one application open.
• Light operating systems and desktop environments like Linux and Xfce.

 

What 4GB isn’t enough for:

• Gaming and editing activities.
• Intense browsing with over 5 to 10 tabs or when using multiple productivity applications.
• Heavy operating systems like Windows.
• If you’ve got an SSD on your laptop.
• Swapping data back and forth.
• Intense image or graphics processing activities.

 

Is 8GB Enough for a Laptop?

Yes, 8GB of RAM is more than enough for most computer users. Gaming, video streaming and graphic design software will all run well on 8GB of memory.

An 8GB RAM laptop is a good choice for certain tasks while it may not be ideal for some other activities. Here are some examples of what it is good for and what it does not suit.

 

What 8GB is enough for:

• Normal lightweight applications like MS Office and tasks like browsing or e-mailing, word processing and file management.
• Using files that are not very large.
• Casual gaming activities and basic productivity tasks or plenty of productivity without swapping to the page file.
• For executing a couple of tasks at a time.

 

What 8GB isn’t enough for:

• Heavy programs like Photoshop, AutoCAD or other graphics software.
• Using large files with databases embedded in them.
• Present-day modern high graphics games and memory-intensive tasks like editing high-resolution videos.
• Increased multitasking performance.
• When the laptop is off the charger for a long time.
• To minimize HD operations.

 

4GB Vs 8GB RAM Chromebook

Most Chromebooks come with just 4GB RAM. This is because Chrome OS can do much more than Mac and Windows laptops with less RAM. One major reason for this is that the operating system incorporates Linux Kernel. Also, when compared with other Operating Systems, most applications take up less space when loaded on Chromebooks.

For normal activities like social networking, email and light browsing, 4GB RAM is more than enough.

Also, if you want to use only a couple of tabs at a time or work on just one app at a time, a 4GB Chromebook is a good choice.

However, more intense tasks like play, school assignments and work may demand to go in for an 8GB system. Another reason why you would want 8GB RAM is to do justice to several preinstalled Android apps that work better on 8GB systems.

Furthermore, the price of an 8GB Chromebook is only a little higher than a 4GB system. Often, people who keep various browser windows or tabs open while using a video or music prefer an 8GB Chromebook.

 

Is 4GB Enough for a MacBook Pro?

Yes, 4GB MacBook Pro is good enough if you want to run the Adobe Master Suite CS5 on your system along with Illustrator and Photoshop. It also helps if you want to edit videos occasionally.

However, if this is your profession or something that you’ll be doing regularly, 16GB is a better choice.

4GB is also sufficient if you plan to use the MacBook Pro for simple Internet browsing. But it should be noted that if you want fast web browsing using browsers like Chrome, this may not be sufficient.

4GB’s of RAM works well with Microsoft Office and Safari when the browser is used for basic browsing activities. If you plan to use both Chrome and Safari, then 4GB may not be a good choice.

A 4GB MacBook Pro can handle MS Office, iTunes, iMessage, mail, about five tabs open on Safari and basic tasks with Visual Studio without any problem.

 

4GB Vs 8GB RAM MacBook Air

For basic tasks like Internet access, text edits, documentation and emails, a 4GB MacBook Air will serve the purpose. However, 8GB is a better option for video streaming and editing, graphics and gaming-related activities. Higher RAM is also ideal if you plan to run multiple applications at a time.

A 4GB MacBook Air fails to deliver the desired results if it has multiple users logged in. Also, 4GB RAM is not likely to support OS upgrades after a certain stage. When this happens, you’ll not be able to take advantage of all the features of the iOS in your MacBook Air.

If you want this, then, you have to consider opting for an 8GB MacBook Air, to be ’Future Proof’. The user software that you install may also be another reason why an 8GB MacBook Air is a good choice.

 

Is 4GB RAM Enough for a Phone?

As you’re not likely to multitask with more than five apps at a time, 4GB is definitely enough to run a smart phone.  

4GB of RAM is enough to supports most apps and games available today that have heavy graphics. This means that you can play these games smoothly without any lag. However, it’s advisable not to install many games at a time.

Some users feel that considering the extensive use of smartphones in the future, you’ll need higher RAM for your phone. However, operating systems like Android are designed to support memory management. Whenever you open a new app, some RAM always gets freed up for the same.

 

Is 4GB RAM Enough for Windows 10?

Yes, 4GB does meet the minimum system requirements to run Windows 10 without any problems.

However, the amount of RAM needed for your Windows 10 system depends on the tasks you execute with it.

With 4GB RAM, you can opt for multitasking several basic applications. However, for activities like audio, video and image editing as well as gaming with high graphics, an 8GB option is preferred for the fast and smooth running of applications.

For CAD programs and 4K games, it’s recommended that you opt for 16GB.

If you’ve got a 32-bit Windows 10 on your system, the minimum and maximum RAM support will be 1GB and 4GB respectively.

On the other hand, 64-bit Windows 10 offers support of a maximum of 128GB with at least 4GB RAM needed. The 64-bit version will utilize at least 2GB all the time for background processes.

 

Is 4GB RAM Enough for gaming?

Yes, with 4GB RAM, you can play most of the titles. However, you may experience some reload stutter or swapping that deprives you of smooth gaming experience.

According to a study by TechSpot, 4GB is often more than adequate for most gaming titles. If a game needs more than this, it’s likely to be listed as the minimum requirement.

 

Games for which 4GB is sufficient

• Grand Theft Auto V
• Skyrim
• Need for Speed

 

Games for which 4GB is recommended

• Titanfall
• Battlefield 4
• PUBG

 

Can You Run Fortnite on 4GB RAM?

The minimum requirement for Fortnite is 4GB RAM along with 16GB free space on HDD and an Intel HD 4000 GPU. To get the best results, it’s recommended that your system has 8GB RAM and 16GB free space on HDD along with a video card such as AMD Radeon HD 7870 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 that has 2GB or higher dedicated VRAM.

With 4GB RAM, you can play a game at 720p resolution or lower and a frame rate of 30fps or lower with the minimum graphic settings.

 

Is 4GB Enough for Streaming?

No, 4GB is often not sufficient for live streaming activities on channels such as YouTube and Twitch. You will need at least  8GB for streaming video.

Keep in mind that the streaming quality can get affected based on the game you want to play.

If you’ve only 8GB RAM on your system and you’re trying to stream a game that recommends at least 8GB RAM, with a few browser tabs open, the stream quality will not be as desired.

You might experience sluggishness and stuttering because the RAM tends to get exhausted. Thus, it’s ideal that you opt for at least 16GB to enjoy some smooth streaming.

 

Is 8GB Enough for a Laptop?

Yes, most new laptops today come with a minimum of 8GB RAM. This helps users perform most of the day-to-day tasks easily without any glitch. However, avid gamers and those engaged in lots of graphic design might be able to do more justice with 16GB RAM.

The type of laptop also decides the RAM needed. For MacBooks and Windows laptops, it is recommended that you’ve at least 8GB.

However, with Chromebooks, 4GB is ample as there is a lot of cloud storage available. Keep in mind that RAM upgrade in a laptop is quite challenging or impossible. So, it’s advisable to opt for the right storage at the start itself.

 

Is 8GB Enough for a MacBook Pro?

For most users who use their MacBook Pro to perform tasks like document editing, checking emails and browsing the Internet, 8GB RAM is more than enough. People engaged in computer design, coding and other such professions tend to do better with 16GB RAM.

Often, if the RAM is not soldered, you can always go for an upgrade. This means that you can get an 8GB RAM changed to 16GB later if you really feel there is a need to do so. Most MacBook Pro users find that they are comfortable using an 8GB MacBook Pro without any problem.

 

Is 8GB RAM Enough for a phone?

Yes 8GB is more than enough for a smart phone. Most apps and games use far less than 8GB of RAM.

Android smart phones often require a minimum RAM to open their apps one at a time or several apps one at a time. In most cases, 3GB RAM will be the maximum you’ll ever need. You’ll need a very high RAM only if you play many games simultaneously.  There are many reasons why you’ll never need 8GB RAM for your phone.

If your smartphone needs are limited to Internet browsing, social media, gaming, watching movies, listening to music and such activities, 8GB RAM will only get wasted on the device.

The performance difference between 6GB and 8GB RAM in most smartphones is often negligible as they are optimized for less power consumption.

 

Is 8GB Enough for Gaming?

Most people recommend opting for at least 8GB RAM for a smooth gaming experience. This is considered as the gaming sweet spot so that you can play both the older and simpler games, as well as the present-day graphic-intense games.

However, there are some popular games today that run with just 4GB RAM and have no problems even with their graphics at high settings.

 

Is 8GB Enough for Streaming?

Yes 8GB RAM is enough for streaming; however, it’s recommended that you opt for at least 16GB for better performance.

Many modern games recommend that you’ve at least 8GB when you install them. Also, if you plan on other tasks like having a few browser tabs open, 8GB can cause problems like stuttering and freezing. Multitasking becomes easy with more RAM.

 

Can you Run Photoshop on 4GB RAM?

Yes, you can run Adobe Photoshop on 4GB RAM, but performance will be quite slow. 8GB of RAM is recommended.

You will be able to do basic Photoshop tasks on A3 size images with 4GB RAM. For editing very large files, you’ll need at least 64-bit Photoshop and more than 4GB RAM. The excess RAM over 4GB is utilized as a fast cache. It’s recommended that you don’t install plug-ins with only 4GB RAM.

Most normal Photoshop functions work well with 4GB RAM but some processes may take a long time to get executed. The projection of raw images over 24MB size also tends to get delayed.

 

Can you Run Photoshop on 8GB RAM?

Yes, you can run Photoshop on 8GB RAM without any issues. 8GB RAM is enough to create 2K or 4K video game textures and regular photo edits.

8GB RAM will help you do the same as what you would do to your images with MS Paint. Performance drops if you’ve to open and work with multiple, large files.

 

Conclusion

The choice of RAM would depend on the tasks that have to be done. For Internet browsing, email and ordinary documentation, 4GB is enough. However, for graphics and video-related activities, 8GB or a higher RAM is recommended.