Standard DRAM Memory Knowledge Base

[#1]

You already know that high-bandwidth applications and programs are memory intensive – stuff like photo editing, streaming music and video sites, games, or high-end productivity software.  But what about just surfing the Internet?

The Memory Experts at Crucial were determined to find out.

We have our browsers open all day – checking news sites, social networking, doing research. Our browsers work hard, but how much memory does browsing require?   The folks in the Crucial Performance Lab took it to the test, and here’s what they learned.

• We loaded 4GB of Crucial DDR3 PC3-10600  memory on a Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD5 motherboard.
• We installed Microsoft Windows Ultimate 64-bit on a Crucial SSD.

To test the memory usage on browsers, we picked 20 of our  favorite Web sites*. 

Our initial screen shot (captured with no browser opened) showed memory usage at 18 percent.

 First, we opened Internet Explorer 9 and opened 20 blank tabs, populating each with our chosen web sites.  Our usage shot up to 43 percent.

 

 Next, we tried Firefox 4. Importing again our 20 web sites, the usage went up to 56 percent.

 

Finally, we brought up Chrome 4, opened our 20 web sites, and the memory usage rocketed to a whopping 65 percent!

 

 We don’t often associate memory use with web surfing, but the bottom line is this: the more tabs and browsers you open, the more memory you use.  If you find yourself frustrated with slow page downloads and response time, try a memory upgrade from Crucial.com. 

We’ve got compatible memory for nearly every system out there…old or new, PC or Mac, notebook or desktop.  Start here.

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* Web sites used for our browser tests:

• AsusTek
• Anandtech
• Apple
• CNET
• Huffington Post
• CNN
• Dell
• Extreme Tech
• Geek.com
• Los Angeles Times
• Outdoor Photograner
• The New York Times
• BBC
• Tom’s Hardware
• Yahoo
• TBS
• EVGA
• Gigabyte
• HP
• MSN.com

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For more information on DRAM, go to our Knowledge Base library or our news and information page. For additional information on Crucial DRAM products, go to our product pages or support center.  We have lots of videos for you to watch on our YouTube Channel. And if you’re ready to take the plunge, use the Crucial Memory Advisor or the Crucial System Scanner.

[#2]

Excellent, thanks!

now that firefox is up to version 7, please include an update on it, vs. 4, and maybe add opera to the mix?

Thanks again,

Rich

[#3]

The above screenshots appear to have all the browsers open at once and in some it appears there are also other applications open which would obviously effect the results.

[#4]

Retro has a very good point. Indeed if the 20 tabs are still open it rather makes a mockery of the whole exercise.

Unless it is a piece of Microsoft promotion

My questions are: What about Safari? And what about repeating the same exercise on a Mac?