It is increasingly common for mobile phones to offer high-end offer large capacities of RAM. We use more and more applications at the same time, we play with higher quality titles and the layers of customization of the manufacturers have more and more functions. But, is it really necessary to have these RAM memory capacities ?
The question of whether “more is better?” Has been answered many times. “More” can be synonymous with better, but sometimes it is also synonymous with “it doesn’t matter.” We have seen it with the capabilities of some cameras, boasting of many sensors and megapixels, where the photographic quality was surpassed by mobiles with more modest hardware. Something similar happens with RAM .
What is RAM?
RAM (Random Access Memory) is a digital storage that stores data from active applications. Although the CPU has its own cache to store the data used for the different calculations, it is not enough, so it needs the “support” of the RAM memory, which is very fast when writing or reading.
In this sense, RAM stores data for a short period of time , and they are eliminated when we turn off or restart the mobile. A part of the RAM memory is reserved for specific tasks, and no application or operating system can use that reserved space. The theory is that a greater capacity of RAM memory allows more applications to be run in the background without affecting the performance of the terminal.
In recent times we are seeing how terminals are presented, with variants of 8, 12 and up to 16 GB of RAM . Models such as the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra or the gaming mobile, Lenovo Legion Pro, have versions with 16 GB of RAM. However, almost any high-end model presented in 2020 had its version of 12 GB of RAM, something that will be replicated in 2021.
Enough memory whatever you do
In the daily use of the vast majority of users, having 10, 12 or 16 GB of RAM can be exaggerated. Even 8 GB of RAM is more than enough to have enough memory for system tasks, run applications in the background and have enough fluidity in any game, as long as the terminal is supported by a CPU / GPU to match.
Betting on a phone with so much RAM capacity can be a bet for the future if we are going to be using it for two, three or more years. However, it is easy for a device with 8 GB of RAM, together with another with 16 GB of RAM and the same processor, to be able to carry out the same tasks with the same ease. The point is that it is difficult to get to take over all the available RAM capacity, and we will always be “left over.”
Choose a consistent option? Impossible
In this sense, when buying a mobile phone, it may be wiser to go less crazy with the RAM capacity and choose more internal storage memory, which is usually the one that is most scarce. However, unlike PCs or laptops, our mobiles do not allow us to choose or modify the RAM / Storage configuration to our liking. Unfortunately, higher capabilities always go hand in hand. That is, it will be impossible for us to buy a smartphone with 512 or 1TB of internal memory, with 4GB or 6GB of RAM, no matter how logical it may seem.
