Quantcast
Subscribe to magazine

Tech Trend: Windows Hungers for RAM

The amount of RAM in desktops has increased over the years, but particularly whenever a new OS hits.

Alan Stafford, PC World

  • 0 Yes
  • 0 No

Everyone knows that PCs sold today have more RAM than they did in the olden days. The question is, why? Applications grow hungrier and RAM prices keep falling, of course, but operating system bloat is the biggest reason. A review of systems that the PC World Test Center has evaluated since 1999 (see the chart below) reveals that the average RAM provision has grown from a little over 90MB to about 2GB, spiking whenever Microsoft releases a new version of Windows. For example, when Windows XP machines started appearing, system RAM increased, on average, from about 126MB to more than 286MB. When Windows Vista started shipping, our test PCs' RAM jumped from slightly more than 1GB to about 2GB. Windows' minimum system requirements ballooned from 16MB to 1GB over the same period. So when you are ready to upgrade your PC and your OS, you can assume that you'll need substantially more RAM.

RAM provisions (in megabytes) of desktops tested by the PC World Test Center have risen over time.

  • Recommend this story?
  • 0 Yes
    0 No

"Tech Trend: Windows Hungers for RAM" Comments

Print 65% more pages than with refilled inks. Trust Original HP Inks. Hit Print Reliably.

Featured APC Accessories For Your System
10% Off Entire Cart at Online Store

  • APC Back-UPS ES Safeguards your equipment from damaging surges and spikes that travel along your utility & data lines.
  • APC SurgeArrest Performance Highest level of protection for your professional computers, electronics and connected devices, as well as provides surge protection.

People who read this also read:

  • 2007 Microsoft Office Suites Comparison This paper compares and contrasts four suites of the 2007 Microsoft Office system: Microsoft Office Standard 2007, Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007, Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 and Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007. This paper is intended to help organizations understand the applications and capabilities offered, and to identify the suite that best fits their needs.
  • Windows Vista Migration: The Business Proposition It's not so much a matter of "if" but "when" for most organizations regarding migration to Windows Vista. Laying the groundwork now for this migration can yield higher ROI than waiting until later. This Computerworld Technology Briefing explains it all.

PC World's Marketplace