Steam, does a survey each month of it’s Steam users, to see the trends in computers. Then can then take this information and use it to see then how a game can fare when they launch a new game. The information is available to anyone, and I decided to share the information with you, since I know that you most likely are a computer gamer. Of particular note, that I found most interesting, was the system RAM and processor speed.
Here’s a little secret for you, it’s not he speed of your processor which will make a game run faster, it’s the amount of RAM. Most people on average have 2gb of RAM, and a 2.3-2.7 GHz processor. A user who had 4gb of RAM, needs less of a processor, then someone who has 1gb RAM. So next time you want to upgrade your computer, get more RAM.
Why is RAM so important? It’s because most games, run in the RAM. If there isn’t enough RAM, then the computer swaps memory to the Hard Drive, which is much slower then RAM – unless of course you have a solid state hard drive – most people don’t.
How much RAM can you have? Well this is where it gets a bit tricky. If you are using Windows 32 bit, which is standard, unless it says it’s 64 bit, then you can have 4gb of RAM… but of course, this is only if you have enough space on your motherboard to support said RAM. On a 64 bit Windows OS, again we have the limitations of the motherboard to consider, but the OS allows for a max of 128gb.
Do you need more RAM? If you are running today’s games, then you will need anywhere from 4gb to 8gb of RAM. I highly suggest getting at least 4gb of RAM, on any system.
Also, please keep in mind, that while your motherboard might support 8gb of RAM, if you are running a 32bit OS, then your computer will only see 4gb. Don’t go out and buy 8gb, and think that 8gb will work on your system. Only 4gb of it will work.
Does this mean you need to upgrade to a 64bit OS? The answer is simple. Not today. Probably not for the next several years in fact. One thing to keep in mind, if you are considering switching over to a 64bit OS, is that many of the programs you already run, might not work if you do switch over. If you are considering the move, you should first see if what ever applications are must have – have 64bit version.
Following is a simple poll we wonder about.
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