When choosing new laptops for your business, you need something that is fast and powerful, and has all of the features that your employees need. But if you are not a computer expert, looking at all of the specifications on different laptops can leave you feeling lost. Unfortunately, this means that a lot of business owners make poor decisions when upgrading computers and this leads to productivity issues.
One of the main areas of confusion is between RAM and processing power. They’re both important, but what exactly is the difference and which is more important for businesses? This guide will tell you everything you need to know.
What is a Processor?
The processor, often called a CPU (central processing unit), is the command center or engine of your computer. When you use a piece of software, you input commands of some kind and the software relays these instructions to the processor, which carries out whatever action is needed. It also relays information to all of the other components, like the graphics card. So, the better the processor, the faster your computer will run and the more powerful software it can handle.
When you are looking at different processors, they usually have a number behind them. In most cases, the higher number means a faster processor, so something like an Intel 11th Gen Laptop with an i9 processor will be much quicker than a cheaper model with an i3 or i5 processor.
What is RAM?
RAM stands for random access memory and it is like the short term memory of your computer.It keeps data so it can be easily accessed by the processor when carrying out tasks. It is often thought of as a workspace for the computer. More RAM means a larger workspace, so the computer can handle more tasks at once. Again, this sometimes means things load faster but, most importantly, it means the computer performs better when running lots of different applications at once.
However, there are limits to upgrading the RAM. Although it will give you some improvements up to a point, your computer is only as powerful as its processor. When the two work in conjunction, they complement one another, but you can’t get the best results simply by adding more RAM.
Which is Most Important to Businesses?
Processors and RAM are both very important for business laptops. However, an advanced processor increases the speed and allows you to run the latest software without performance issues. It also makes the laptop more futureproof, so you don’t need to replace it as often. So, you should prioritize a better processor, and then consider adding more RAM further down the line if your employee workload starts growing and you notice things slowing down a bit. It’s easy enough to add extra RAM yourself, just bear in mind that there is limited space on the motherboard so you cannot upgrade indefinitely.
It’s also worth remembering that there are simple steps you can take to optimize your computer and make it run faster, so it’s not all about processors and RAM.