How Much RAM Do You Need on a Smartphone?

RAM or Random Access Memory is one of the most important components of a smartphone. The upcoming smartphones are coming out with more and more RAM, but does one actually need a lot of RAM.? Some smartphones in 2021 are coming out with 16 GB RAM, do you need 16 GB RAM, do you even need 12 GB RAM to carry out all the tasks that your phone can perform?

What is RAM?

Random Access Memory is a kind of storage tool that has the fastest read and write speeds. There are some major distinctions between the RAM and ROM. The ROM is a way to store all your data, like in a cupboard. Every time you need to access information, you need to go to the cupboard, open it and then access it. This takes a lot of time, RAM makes the data accessible, and you can easily access your data in a faster manner. Whenever you are using an application. You are constantly reading and writing data, some part of this data goes into the memory, that is why you can see how much memory is being taken by some apps and games. This is to make sure that the next time you open the app, you won't have to wait for the data to load, you can use the data stored in memory.

How Much RAM Do You Need?

The answer to this question is very subjective and ever-changing. The amount of RAM that was sufficient 2 years back, might not be sufficient today. However, in 2021, 8 GB RAM is more than enough. This will be sufficient for 99 per cent of the users. Even if you are a gamer and believe in multitasking, 8 GB RAM will be enough for you and your smartphone. 12 GB RAM is overkill, and 16 GB RAM should not even be an option now. Yes, it might be a viable option after 3-4 years, but currently, you can do everything that you want with 8 GB of RAM. If you plan on using your smartphone for a long time and need 12 GB RAM for future-proofing then you can go ahead with it. A few years back, it was okay to have a maximum of 6 GB, but times are changing.

RAM or ROM?

Since we have already established the fact that 8 GB RAM is enough, one should focus on getting a phone with more storage. Earlier, 16 GB storage used to be enough but now, even 64 GB can seem less. Therefore, it is best to go for a smartphone that comes with more storage and a maximum of 8 GB of RAM. All the photos and other data will be stored in your ROM, and therefore it is best to go for more storage over more RAM.

Android and iOS Configuration

One might argue that Android has reached 16 GB of RAM whereas Apple is only giving 6 GB of RAM in their high-end smartphones. This is due to the fragmentation in the Android Ecosystem. There are multiple OEMs and manufacturers, they have their own settings and data. Whereas, Apple is a single manufacturer that can control the data and the size of the applications accordingly. iOS being a closed ecosystem, allows users to have a good experience even on a lower RAM configuration. Better optimization allows users to have a smooth experience with the phone even with lesser RAM.