With lower system requirements for Linux distributors than Windows, switching to Linux is a great way to rejuvenate an old computer. This is because Linux requires less hard drive space thereby putting a lesser load on your computer’s CPU.
But when it comes to RAM, it depends. To get to the bottom of this question lets first consider what RAM is.
What Is RAM?
RAM Is an acronym for (random access memory) and is a space in your CPU for temporary storage of data that needs to be accessed frequently. It is not the same as your hard drive and it is also different in the sense that it does not store data when there is no power source, this means when you restart your PC, it returns to an empty state.
There are two types of RAM; DRAM and SRAM. DRAM is more in use because it is not as expensive as SRAM they both do the same thing only DRAM provides access times of about 60 nanoseconds whilst SRAM does in 10.
So where does this leave us?
Well we can look at system requirements that support both OS’ as a place to start. Microsoft recommends 4Gb of RAM for Windows 10 users, but the developer of Ubuntu (the most popular Linux Version) Canonical, recommends 2GB of RAM.
Even this does not tell the whole story as Ubuntu comes with extras such as animations and other goodies that if not needed, one could pretty much run Linux on old computers with even less than 2GB. You can save yourself some money by switching to Linux if your old windows computer needs more RAM.
There’s more…..
How RAM Works?
A good and fast web browser may be able to load websites fast, but loading a website will always be faster if the information was already stored in a space on your computer.
Web browsers cache sites visited so it can load them faster next time you visit them and it does this by storing website information in RAM. It is also a similar principle with word documents while they are being updated.
This is why Gamers need more RAM than the average PC user, because the computer needs to manage the different game sequences.
Why You Can Bet on Linux
Both Linux and Windows use up GBs of RAM. But there are significant differences when it comes to managing RAM usage and we argue this is where Linux has an advantage.
You have far less options with Windows when it comes to boosting RAM. You can reduce background programs and services running at the same time or you get more RAM. The cheapest way to get more RAM is to turn a USB drive into a makeshift RAM.
With Linux on the other hand, you can do all these things and more. For example, you could switch to an alternative of Ubuntu which is much lighter on resources. There are a lot of options to choose from.
All you can do with Windows is adjust animation and theme settings but the graphical user interface still remains and it is still heavy. With both systems, you can run lightweight apps but this has a better effect on Linux because it has a lighter environment.
So Which Uses Less RAM?
Well after it is all said and done, one may not assume that because you are running a Linux desktop that you are consuming less RAM. If your computer comes with the standard 512MB of RAM, Linux can make it seem like a new machine but this depends on your use of RAM consuming tasks, such as gaming which may still make the system seem slow.
Unfortunately, browsing the web is also one of these RAM – intensive tasks. There are many Linux distros that use less RAM than Windows 10, some better than others, and this will also determine the extent to which your Linux system compares to windows, but it is very safe to say, chances are it compares favorably.
Do you have any other points you think we have missed in this article, please share your thoughts in the space provided below!
