Although the Chrome Internet browser has a reputation for gobbling up system RAM , most Chromebook computers (running Chrome OS) come with just 4GB of RAM, an amount that when we talk about conventional laptops is clearly insufficient for most tasks. However, is this little amount of RAM for a Chromebook ? What capacity is adequate? In this article we are going to get you out of doubt.
As you know, the RAM of the system is an “intermediate” temporary storage, where the processor stores data and calculations that it will need to access in a short time so that it does not have to perform the same operations and calculations. In a modern PC, today 8 GB of RAM is the amount considered standard, while when we talk about a gaming PC, 16 GB is almost mandatory. But what about a small and lightweight Chromebook?
Chromebooks don’t need as much RAM
First of all, just because Chrome is a glutton and hogs a huge chunk of PC RAM doesn’t mean it’s Chrome’s problem across the board. In other words, Chrome OS is very different from Windows or Mac OS, and so is the way it handles RAM.
Without getting too complicated into going into details, let’s take a closer look at how Chrome OS manages RAM. Since it is based on Linux and therefore uses a UNIX kernel, it handles RAM in a very similar way to how this operating system does. Google has modified the process a bit to better suit the needs of its operating system, but the general idea is the same.
zRAM, the one in charge of keeping things in order
Chrome OS uses something called zRAM to keep processes more “agile” than on a Windows or MacOS machine with less RAM. It is a compressed virtual memory system that goes a long way in making the most of the system’s RAM by creating a compressed block in RAM and using it instead of virtual memory, which is usually stored on the hard disk. and therefore it is much slower.
Then the data is transferred in and out of this compressed space as needed until it is full, at which point the SWAP (swap) memory is used, which does work the same as virtual memory in Windows for example (es a memory that is actually on the hard disk, and that is used as if it were RAM when the physical RAM is full).
Low-level memory
Chrome OS also uses a system called “double-wall” to manage RAM in what they have called low-level memory. The basic essence of this system is that a “soft wall” is established in memory where, once the threshold is reached, the system begins to purge the oldest memory resident operations. It starts with open tabs that have not been entered through those that have been inactive for a long time and, essentially, it closes things that it considers that the user no longer has interest in them.
The second “wall” in this system is the “hard wall.” When the system is completely clogged, without available RAM, a process called OOM (out of memory) is activated that directly begins to “kill” processes. When this happens, Chrome will generally crash, but the good news is that this threshold is rarely reached, because that’s what the smooth wall threshold is set for.
How much RAM does a Chromebook need?
Although it is normal to see these laptops with 4 GB of RAM, there are versions that start from 2 GB and models with up to 16 GB. However, when it comes to getting the best product for yourself, you should first analyze how you plan to use the device.
For example, if you are going to buy a Chromebook as a companion machine, something that you use in conjunction with your main PC, then you may not need a lot of RAM and that with 4 GB you have more than enough. If it is a “light” work computer (check email, surf the Internet, office automation, etc.) then with 4 GB or even 8 GB you will have plenty.
Now, if you plan to buy a Chromebook as your main machine for work, school and leisure, you probably need a well-stocked equipment of RAM and the 16GB models will not be far-fetched for you.