More RAM or Better Graphics Card for Gaming | Best Computer Upgrade

Want your computer run faster?

Are you confused – more RAM or better Graphics Card? Which is the right choice for you?

No worry. Going through this article you will get an answer to your question.

Do you spend a lot of time on your PC?

You’re probably familiar with the frustration that occurs when your machine starts to stutter and chug for no reason.

In an ideal world, everyone would have their rig be a beast of a machine that constantly works at maximum efficiency.

But, not everyone has the time, money, or technical wherewithal to get the most out of their computer all by their lonesome.

Luckily for you, we’ve come up with this handy guide to show you just how you can get the most power out of your machine.

Generally, getting your PC up to its full potential comes down to making sure there’s plenty of RAM and upgrading the graphics card to something robust and modern.

But suppose you only have the resources for one option:

  • do you pick more system memory
  • or a better graphics card

Read our list of the pros and cons for each now and get the tools to make an informed choice.

Making your computer run faster…

Do you find your computer running slower than usual while gaming or running bulky software?

There are some easy DIY steps you can take to clean up your computer and potentially save yourself a good deal of time and expense.

  • update your drivers
  • run a system clean-up
  • do a virus scan
  • defragment your drives

Most of these procedures should be easy to perform on a modern PC.

Make sure your OS is in a clean functioning state. It makes installing upgrades faster and easier as well.

Take a look at some more tips to make your computer faster if you need more ideas.

So there’s really no reason not to perform a little bit of simple housekeeping on your device every so often.

Adding More RAM…

If you’re looking for a concise, simple way to put some more “oomph” in your OS, expanding your Random Access Memory, or RAM might be the way to go.

Understanding RAM functionality will give you a good picture.

Role of RAM to make your computer run faster:

RAM acts as a temporary storage place for all the information your system needs to operate.

It should not be confused with hard drive storage. Many people use these terms interchangeably.

Information that is stored on your computer’s RAM can be accessed easily and quickly, more so than the information stored on a hard drive.

The more RAM your computer has, the lesser portion of it will need to be dedicated to each individual task. And it makes the general operation of your computer run a lot smoother.

Increasing RAM will not solve all your problems.

Adding more RAM to your computer will make it faster, but it won’t give it capabilities it didn’t already have.

You won’t be able to play games with better graphics or install programs that weren’t previously compatible with your OS just because your system has more memory now.

Think of a RAM injection as less of remodeling and more of a tune-up.

If you’re perfectly satisfied with everything your computer can do right now but just wish it ran a little faster, adding more sticks of memory or replacing existing sticks with larger ones is the way to go.

There are plenty of tech shops that will give your PC more RAM at a relatively inexpensive price. So doing a little research for the best value in your area should be no trouble.

Getting a Better Graphics Card…

If you’re looking to take your rig to the next level, there’s really no better option than investing in a hefty modern graphics card.

Advantages of using better Graphics Card:

A new graphics card will make your old programs run lightning fast.

It opens your computer up to new high-quality options that would’ve turned your old card to jelly at the mere thought of opening them.

There are very new technologies emerging in gaming. To experience those lightening technologies, you don’t have any better option than graphics card.

Plus, standalone graphics cards are generally built with longevity in mind. So if you get your hands on a great card you should be able to play the newest games and watch movies at an exquisite resolution for years to come.

Any downsides of using Graphics Card?

Well, your wallet might be looking a little lean for a while if you decide to throw some coin at the latest and greatest.

A good graphics card can be expensive at the best of times and given that there’s actually been something of a card shortage rumbling through the market recently.

At the moment, a high-end graphics card can run you as much as a mid-tier PC on its own!

That said, many people still find the investment worth it for the long-term security it provides—no more wondering if your setup has the specs to pull off what you want it to—and for the way it juices up the processes, your OS already goes through every day.

A new graphics card is still a great option for beefing up your rig for the long haul.

Related Read: Best Monitor for Gaming

More RAM or Better Graphics Card | Which Is Right for You?

Overall, it very much depends on what your needs are.

Are you using your computer for the work, play, or both on a daily basis?

Are you totally satisfied with what your OS does right now?  Don’t you mind the usual prospect of investing in a new device? If yes, a big dose of RAM will be good to go with.

On the other hand, are you looking to step up your computer’s capabilities in a more far-reaching sense? Can you afford expenses? If yes, a powerful graphics card is probably the investment you’re looking for.

It’s all a matter of wanting to improve what you already have versus wanting to overhaul your setup in a big way.

But whichever upgrade path you decide to take your PC on, know that you’re probably making a good choice.

Whether you choose to expand your rig’s RAM capacity or bolster its graphical capabilities with a powerful new tool, you’re going to be adding efficiency and value to your system for a good long time to come.

There’s a set of specs that are right for everyone, so don’t be intimidated. Define your needs, do some research, and then head on over to the experts when you’re ready to make your rig the best it can be.

Still confused- more RAM or better Graphics Card?

Write to me in the comment section below. I will try my best to help you.

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Comments (12)
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  • Youhong

    How about for Forex Trading, like when loading charts? Which is more important? More RAM or graphics card?

    • PCSkull Editorial Team

      Definitely, you need good RAM. But, you cannot ignore the graphics card capability.

  • Gob

    A setup with 8GB RAM DDR4 + a RTX 2080 (NVIDIA)
    Will the RAM reduces the CPU effectiveness in any mean?
    I don’t think so but…
    Would 16GB RAM really improve that config or, as I think so, the GPU does 90% of the work N is sufficient here?

  • Geoffrey

    Hi,
    Is a configuration with an Nvidia RTX 2080 and 8GB DDR4 an optimum one?
    Will the 8GB “bridle”/lower the RTX2080 efficiency?
    Is it mandatory to upgrade the 8GB DDR4 to 16?
    Thanks,

  • Unkwown

    I Got RIG Ryzen 5 3400G Vega 11 Graphics with 8GB 2666mhz ram, but they say I need a more powerful ram to use the potential of vega 11 and Ryzen Chips, but some say it is best to buy GPU 4GB, which do you think will my pc benefit more? Upgrading Ram to 3200MHz or Buying a GPU (Target is GTX 1050Ti or GTX 1650)

  • Faruk

    Hi,

    I have a Dell XPS i7 16GB ram 2GB dedicated graphics.

    I found it impossible to work with the UNREAL ENGINE 4.26. The engine crashes and sometimes asks for a more recent graphics driver which I can not update because of the Microsoft stoppage of Windows 7 which runs on my computer.

    As for simulation of 3d animation and simulation of water, hair and cloth in Unreal Engine, should I get a better graphics card or more memory sticks?

    Help me, please.

    Thanks

    • PCSkull Editorial Team

      If the 3D animation is not looking properly, opt for a Graphics card. If it’s lacking over speed, go for RAM. Moreover, if it demands, I think you should upgrade to Windows 10.

  • Ahmed Mohamed

    Hi

    I have Hp pavillion laptop 15-cw1xxx and my laptop has only 4gb when try play games on my laptop it can be very slow and lag a lot so should i go for ram because i dont think i can change the graphic card because its integrated and if i increased it to 8gb would that make it run faster?

    • PCSkull Editorial Team

      If you are playing a heavy graphics game, you should have at least 8GB ram. Later you can think of a graphics card.

  • Mark

    I am comparing Acer’s nitro 5 laptop which has 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD i7 -11370H processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB GDDR6 memory and hp’s 14-dv0058TU which has 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD i7 -1165G7 processor.

    Both are priced the same. Which laptop has better processing power?

  • Prit

    16gb ram/512 ssd + 32gb optane with 1650 graphic

    or

    8 gb / 512 ssd with 32gb optane with
    1650 Ti graphic

  • Grant

    I have a new CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme VR Gaming PC, Intel Core i5-11400F 2.6GHz, GeForce RTX 3050 8GB, 8GB DDR4, 500GB PCI-E NVMe SSD, WiFi Ready & Win 11 Home and I’m having issues with voice changer apps functioning properly while talking on role-play servers. I’ve researched setting enhancements and still no improvements after application. Will a new decent graphics card fix this issue, possibly?