Understanding of Virtual RAM & its working system!

Virtual RAM (Random Access Memory), also known as paging file or swap space, is a feature that allows a computer or mobile device to use part of its storage as temporary memory to supplement the physical RAM. It's commonly found in operating systems like Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.

Understanding of Virtual RAM & its working system!

What is Virtual RAM?

It is a feature of expanding RAM capacity, and it's not a new feature or technology. If you are a PC user then you may be familiar with the term 'Virtual Memory'. It means you can get some space from a Physical hard disk and ROM ( internal storage) to be used as RAM. Most simply, it is a method to fulfill RAM space shortage and run more apps and multiple tasks.  

What is RAM and Its management system?

Before we should understand the RAM concept! So RAM (random-access memory)  is used For running different tasks and apps based on its space capacity. If RAM works over full usage then it will kill their previous task of maintaining space. It's work based on a short-term - process, so no need for more space like a Physical hard disk. That's why our RAM is always more than RAM or internal storage.

How does Virtual RAM work?

Virtual RAM is a hardware-based Task management system where actual storage memory (SSD, HDD, eMMC, UFS, etc.) has been used. In virtual RAM some space is acquired from our phone/ computer (internal storage) as RAM which is called Virtual RAM. When your device RAM is full then support that device & divide a few tasks between RAM & Virtual RAM. 

Just like your internal storage's few parts (ROM) works like RAM. 

Understanding of Virtual RAM & its working system!

For example,

4GB RAM + 4GB virtual RAM, if you have a 4GB of RAM phone & you run Multiple tasks on that particular phone then your phone's RAM is full. The RAM management system starts to kill the previous Task to Grab more space to run new tasks, so here if you used Virtual RAM then you didn't need to compromise any Task that you perform on your phone.  

How to set Virtual RAM in a phone/ computer? 

To grab that Virtual RAM feature in your phone, you can choose a setting that already will be available with supported phones. Or if you are a Windows user then you can add Virtual RAM through Windows settings. 

Recommended setting in Windows: You can extend the minimum Virtual RAM 1.5 times more than your Actual RAM size. Maximum Virtual RAM should be 3.0 times more than your existing RAM.

 

e.g. — 8GB RAM (existing) → 1.5X Virtual RAM = 12,288 MB [(1024*8)1.5 virtual RAM]

Newly launched smartphones of upper mid-range as well as some mid-range are very smart to maintain more RAM space for getting a smooth performance. A new RAM management technology can kill unnecessary tasks and junk files. So users can get No-lags and a smooth experience while playing games.

Advantages:

• Increases system stability and multitasking capabilities.
• Allows more applications to run simultaneously.

Disadvantages:

• Slower than physical RAM, leading to performance bottlenecks in high-demand scenarios.
• Continuous read/write operations on storage may wear out SSDs over time.

If your system frequently shows memory warnings or performance lags during multitasking, enabling or increasing virtual RAM can help.

FAQ — 

1. What is virtual RAM used for? 

Ans. Virtual RAM is generally used for making a smooth experience while performing multiple tasks on your smartphone devices as well as computers. 

2. Virtual RAM is a Hardware-based process.

Ans.  Virtual RAM is a setting for increasing Actual RAM limits where systems use Internal storage (ROM) few parts as RAM.

3. Virtual RAM recommended settings?

Ans.  Microsoft recommended settings: You can extend the minimum Virtual RAM 1.5 times more than your Actual RAM size. Maximum Virtual RAM should be 3.0 times more than your existing RAM.

4. Virtual RAM is better than actual RAM?

Ans.  No, Virtual RAM is not better than actual RAM because it is a software-based setting where we use our internal storage as RAM. So in that setting, we can provide some more space for performing tasks, but it cannot exactly work like actual RAM! 

5. Virtual RAM is downloading our PC/ Laptop performance?

Ans.  No, it's not true because if you apply settings according to Microsoft Windows' recommended settings then your PC/ Laptop's performance will not decrease.