Quick Answers
To find your hard drive size on Windows, open File Explorer, right-click on the hard drive and select “Properties”. The size will be listed under “Capacity”.
To find your RAM on Windows, right-click the Start menu and select “System”. The amount of RAM will be listed under “Installed memory (RAM)”.
On Mac, click the Apple menu and select “About This Mac”. The storage and memory amounts are listed under “Storage” and “Memory” respectively.
What is a Hard Drive?
A computer’s hard drive is the primary storage device inside your PC or laptop. It is a non-volatile storage device, meaning it retains data even when powered off. The hard drive stores your operating system, programs, documents, music, photos, videos and other files.
A hard drive consists of round, flat platters made of a magnetizable material like aluminum or glass. These platters are coated with a thin magnetic film. There are read/write heads that move over the platters to access data. The platters spin at very high speeds, allowing the heads to read and write data.
Data is stored in small areas called sectors. Files on your hard drive are made up of clusters of these sectors. The clusters help define file size and location on the disk. So in essence, a hard drive works by using magnetism to store and retrieve data on spinning platters.
Common Hard Drive Capacities
Hard drive capacities have grown enormously over the years. Some common sizes include:
- 500 GB
- 1 TB
- 2 TB
- 4 TB
- 6 TB
- 8 TB
- 10 TB
- 12 TB
- 16 TB
For most home users, a 500 GB to 2 TB hard drive is typical. Power users may have 4 TB or larger drives. Enterprise-level servers often use high-capacity 10 TB+ drives.
Checking Hard Drive Size in Windows
There are a couple easy ways to check your hard drive size in Windows:
File Explorer
- Open File Explorer
- Right-click on your C: drive
- Select “Properties” from the menu
- Under the “General” tab, next to “Capacity” it will show your total hard drive space
Disk Management
- Right-click the Start menu and choose “Disk Management”
- Right-click your C: partition
- Select “Properties” from the menu
- The total size will be shown under “Capacity”
This provides a quick and easy way to find your hard drive size in Windows. Both File Explorer and Disk Management provide the same result.
Checking Hard Drive Size on Mac
Finding your hard drive size on a Mac is very simple:
- Click the Apple menu and choose “About This Mac”
- Click the “Storage” tab
- The storage capacity is shown under “Capacity”
This will display the full size of your Mac’s hard drive.
What is RAM?
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It is a type of computer memory that is used to temporarily store data that your computer’s processor needs quick access to, such as program instructions and files that are currently in use.
RAM is referred to as volatile memory. This means data is stored in RAM as long as your computer is powered on, but it is lost when the computer is turned off. This is different from storage like your hard drive, which is non-volatile and retains data even when powered off.
Uses of RAM
When a program or file is opened, it is loaded from the hard drive into the RAM. This allows the CPU to access it more quickly rather than reading it directly from slower storage. Some common uses of RAM include:
- Running operating system processes
- Launching applications and loading data files
- Rendering images and videos
- Caching frequently accessed data
- Storing calculations before outputting to screen
The more RAM available, the more data can be loaded from storage for faster access by active processes.
Types of RAM
There are a several types of RAM in use today:
- SRAM – Static RAM uses a form of flip-flop circuitry to store data. Fast and expensive, SRAM is used for computer caches.
- DRAM – Dynamic RAM uses capacitors to store each bit. Must be refreshed thousands of times per second. Most common form of RAM.
- SDRAM – Synchronous DRAM is synchronized to the clock speed of the CPU to improve performance.
- DDR SDRAM – Double data rate SDRAM transfers data twice per clock cycle.
DDR SDRAM is the most common type found in modern computers. SDRAM speeds are measured in megahertz (MHz), with common speeds being 800 MHz, 1600 MHz, 2400 MHz, and higher.
Checking RAM in Windows
There are a couple straightforward ways to check RAM amount in Windows:
Task Manager
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
- Click the “Performance” tab
- The total installed RAM will be listed under “Memory”
System Properties
- Right click the Start menu and select “System”
- The amount of RAM is listed next to “Installed memory (RAM)”
This provides an easy way to check total RAM installed on a Windows PC. Both Task Manager and System Properties show the same information.
Checking RAM on Mac
Checking RAM on a Mac is very quick:
- Click the Apple menu and select “About This Mac”
- Click the “Memory” tab
- The amount of RAM is shown next to “Memory”
This displays the total RAM installed on your Mac.
Why RAM Size Matters
Having enough RAM is important for your computer’s performance. When RAM runs low, it can start using slow virtual memory on your hard drive, which really bogs things down. Some key reasons RAM size matters:
- More RAM allows more applications and tabs open at once without slowdowns.
- With sufficient RAM, more data can be cached for faster loading.
- RAM enables faster switching between browser tabs and programs.
- Enables advanced gaming, video and photo editing tasks.
- Allows using memory-intensive creative programs like Photoshop.
While upgrades like an SSD or new processor can help, having enough RAM is one of the best ways to make an older computer feel much faster.
Recommended RAM
The amount of RAM you need depends on what you do with your computer. Here are some general recommendations:
| Activity | Recommended RAM |
|---|---|
| Basic computing like web, email, office | 8 GB |
| Gaming, video editing | 16 GB |
| Advanced creative work, VM’s | 32+ GB |
Of course, these are just guidelines. More demanding games and programs may require even higher RAM. But for most mainstream users, 8 GB or 16 GB is sufficient for smooth performance.
Increasing RAM
If your computer is consistently low on memory, you may want to consider adding more RAM:
- First, check to see if you have any open RAM slots on your motherboard. This allows adding sticks without replacing existing RAM.
- Otherwise, you would need to replace your current RAM sticks with higher capacity modules.
- When buying new RAM, make sure it is compatible. Match the type, speed, size and pin configuration.
- Installing RAM involves opening the computer case, gently inserting sticks into slots, and booting back up.
- After installing new RAM, make sure it is detected by checking System Properties in Windows or About This Mac on a Mac.
Upgrading RAM is one of the easiest ways to significantly improve an older computer’s performance.
Conclusion
Knowing your hard drive size and RAM capacity provides insight into your system’s storage resources and performance potential. Checking them in Windows and MacOS is quick and straightforward using built-in tools.
Hard drive space determines how many programs, files and media you can store. RAM size influences multitasking ability and speeds up system response by caching frequently used data. Ensuring you have sufficient drive space and memory allows your computer to run optimally. Monitoring these metrics also informs upgrade decisions when your needs change over time.