Windows displays RAM usage versus actual utilization.
Windows displays RAM usage versus actual utilization.
Requesting advice from a friend... He mentioned considering more RAM due to cheaper DDR4 options. He currently has a 2x16 setup and believes he won’t use much beyond that—just gaming with a few tabs open. I shared a screenshot from Task Manager showing memory usage, noting the gap between what Windows reports and actual RAM consumption. I’m looking for a concise summary or a helpful video on this topic.
RAM is intended for active use. When programs don’t rely on it, Windows will store frequently accessed files in memory to boost performance. However, once an app needs RAM, it releases that space and passes it to the requesting application. In my case, a game with many tabs and Firefox running has 4.0 GB of cached data and 3.8 GB of free space left when needed. The swap file can help if required, making the total available memory for apps around 37 GB.
I tried to clarify everything for you. You checked your PC with a game running alongside Chrome tabs and other tasks... The "Committed" value is likely what people worry about, but it doesn’t show how much is actually being used. In the memory list, those numbers usually reflect what’s currently active, like Private Internet Access using its share of RAM. If your VPN isn’t on, those figures probably don’t change much. It shouldn’t affect your system noticeably, and you’re right to focus on RAM rather than these memory stats. TL;DR — you’ve got a good grasp of it. Thanks!
i mean, yeah committed isnt necessarily used. the more stuff you have running the more both categories will show. there isnt really much more to it. im always perplexed how much RAM people use though… just some background stuff, like afterburner, corsair link… game game + chrome… not super exciting as long it doesnt try to use more than whats available