Introduction to Computing

Memory

Page F01-8 discusses RAM (Random Access Memory) requirements. RAM temporarily stores parts of the operating system - OS (e.g. Windows) and any applications you run (e.g. Photoshop, MS Word...).  The more RAM your computer has, the better and more efficiently your OS and applications will run. When purchasing a computer, you will want to have enough memory to meet the requirements of the Operating System and applications you wish to install and use.  For example, my operating system is Windows 8.1.  I use Photoshop extensively. I checked the manufacturers' web sites (links below) and learned that it is recommended that I have at least 10 GB of RAM (8 GB for Photoshop and 2 GB for Windows).  My system currently has 16 GB of RAM installed.

• Adobe recommends 8 GB of RAM
• Microsoft recommends 2 GB of RAM for Windows 8.1

It is a good idea to purchase a computer with slightly more memory than current needs so that your system performs well now and in the future.

See RAM recommendations by ZDnet.com (2013).

How much RAM do you have on your computer?

• Windows 8.1: right-click the "Start" button (really is a short-cut to the Start Menu) located on the lower-left of your screen. Next, choose "System" from the short-cut menu.
• Windows 7
• Mac OS

Processor speed

Page F01-8 discusses Processor Speed. The higher the number for the processor speed, the faster the computer. When purchasing a computer, you will need to determine the processor that best meets your needs for the software you use. For example, Photoshop needs at least 2 GHz of processor speed. If you use Photoshop, this is something to keep in mind when purchasing a new system.

To see your computer’s processor speed in Windows 8.1:

• Right-click “Start” and choose System.
  Processor may be something like 3.40 GHz.  You may see two numbers: (1) Rated speed which is what the computer is capable of and (2) the Actual speed which is what the computer is currently using.
• To see what your real Actual speed is at any point in time, right-click “Start” and choose Task Manager, Performance tab. You’ll see the rated speed under Maximum speed and then you’ll see the constantly changing Actual speed.

To see your computer's processor speed in Windows 7:

• Cick Start and right-click Computer.
• Next, choose Properties. In the System section, next to Processor, you can see the processor speed.
• To see what your real Actual speed is at any point in time, right-click the taskbar (located at the bottom of your screen) and choose Start Task Manager, Performance tab.
  To learn more, see Microsoft's website.

To see your computer's processor speed on a Mac: http://www.ehow.com/how_6751891_processor-speed-mac.html

Inside the computer