Your system’s memory is one of the most critical hardware components that play a major role in the computer’s performance. RAM is also one of the easiest components to upgrade. All you have to do is find a compatible RAM module and slot it in the motherboard.

However, you can’t just chuck any RAM stick onto your PC and expect it to work. For your RAM to work the most efficiently, you need to know what kind of RAM you already have on your PC so that you can buy the right upgrade to accompany the existing modules. 

Also read: How much RAM do you need to run a Minecraft server?

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Identifying RAM in Windows

There are many ways you can tell what kind of RAM you have on your PC. 

Using the Task Manager

The simplest way to know your PC’s RAM properties is using the Task Manager. Press the Windows key + X to open the quick access menu and click Task Manager. Once there, head over to the Performance tab, and you’ll see everything you need to know under Memory. 

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Using the Command Prompt

There is a command line utility in Windows called MemoryChip get that can fetch a lot of information on your RAM modules. Here’s how.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run prompt. Type cmd and hit enter.

Step 2: Type the following command and press enter. 

wmic MemoryChip get MemoryType, Capacity, Speed, Configuredclockspeed, DeviceLocator, FormFactor, Manufacturer, Serialnumber, Partnumber

This will give you everything you need to know about your RAM modules.

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Using Windows Powershell

Yet another command line utility that you can use to fetch information on the type of RAM you have is present in Powershell. Here’s what you need to do.

Step 1: Press the Windows key and type Powershell. Click the corresponding search result.

Step 2: Type the following command and hit enter. 

Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_PhysicalMemory | Format-Table Capacity, Manufacturer, MemoryType, FormFactor, Name, Speed, Devicelocator, Serialnumber –AutoSize

Note that the results you see here will be almost identical to what you saw in the Command Prompt. That’s because they both fetch information held by WMI. 

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Using third-party software

You can also use third-party software such as CPU-Z or Speccy to get detailed information on your PC’s hardware. CPU-Z is free to download and will give you all the basic parameters for your RAM (or CPU/GPU).

If you need more detailed information, you can try out Speccy, a freeware utility that provides much more information on any hardware component you have on your PC. While the tool is free, there’s also a premium version with additional features. 

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Open up your PC

Last but not least, most RAM modules will carry a sticker detailing their specifications. If nothing else works for you, you can always disassemble your PC or laptop and physically inspect the label on your RAM module. 

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Identifying RAM in Linux

Like everything else in Linux, you can get information on your RAM module by using a simple command. Just open a terminal, type the following command and hit enter.

sudo dmidecode —type memory

This command will give you everything you need to know about your RAM, including speed, classification, type and manufacturer information. 

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Identifying RAM in macOS

If you’re on macOS, try out the following methods.

Using the Overview tab

Just click the Apple icon in the top left, followed by About This Mac, to get simple information on your RAM. You’ll see your RAM information in the Overview tab. 

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Using the System Report

You can try using the System Report button in the Overview tab if you want more detailed information. This divides all the hardware in your computer into tabs and provides all the information you need.

Also read: How to rename a program in the Task Manager?