Adding memory to your computer is one of the easiest things you can do to your computer or laptop that can improve performance. Some computers (such as netbooks) have integrated memory or built-in memory. Most of the following describes the steps to take with a Windows-based computer. iMacs and MacBooks can be upgraded as well following some of the steps below.
Be advised that not all computers have replaceable memory and some
computers can only use a certain amount of memory - determining that
amount is beyond the scope of this blog due to the wide variety
of computers and laptops on the market.
First thing you will need to do is find out how much memory is currently in your computer. Easiest way to find this out is to open the Control Panel and navigate to System. Once in the System panel, you'll be shown some basic information regarding your computer. As the example to the right shows, this computer has 6 GB of memory.
Next you need to find out if there are any empty memory slots inside the computer to add more memory to. If there isn't an empty slot, not too much of a problem you can replace the existing memory with new modules. This involves opening the case of your computer or a panel on a laptop, a phillips screwdriver is most likely all you need to complete this task.
Look at the existing memory and normally the memory will have a label on it that describes how much memory the module contains and what the speed and type of memory it is. You can also go to some websites that can help you determine the type of memory is in your computer, one such website is
Crucial.com.
(You may or may not need to remove one module.)
Once you have identified how much and the type of memory your computer has, you can decide if you are going to add memory to the computer or replace the existing memory. If your computer has 4GB of memory as one module, then buying another module of the same kind will double your memory! Or you can replace both modules - really the choice is yours!
Where to buy your memory? You can purchase the memory at your local computer/electronic store, such as Best Buy or online at Amazon, Newegg, etc. Do your homework first on prices before purchasing, as you often can find the pricing varies!
