How to Check RAM Speed on Windows 10

You can perform a Windows 10 RAM speed test both with and without an app

What to Know

  • Open Task Manager and click More Details > Performance > Memory.
  • Your RAM speed, in MHz (megahertz), is under the graph next to Speed.
  • You can measure your RAM speed using a diagnostic tool from UserBenchmark.com

This article will walk you through how to check your RAM speed on Windows 10 computers and laptops by using either the Task Manager tool or a free RAM speed test app.

You can use either method on any Windows 10 device running the latest version of the operating system.

How to Check My RAM Speed in Windows 10

The easiest and fastest way to find out your computer’s RAM speed is to use Windows 10’s built-in Task Manager tool. Here’s how to use it.

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc or right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager to open the Windows 10 Task Manager.

    Task Manager in taskbar menu

    Alternatively, open the Start Menu, type Task Manager, and then click its icon when it appears.

  2. Click More Details.

    More Details on Task Manager

    If you see "Fewer Details" instead, Task Manager is already expanded.

  3. Click Performance.

    Performance tab of Task Manager window.
  4. Click Memory.

    Memory on Performance tab of Task Manager window.
  5. The large number to the right of Memory is the size of your RAM. In this example, it’s 16 GB.

    The number to the right of Speed is your RAM speed. Here, it’s 2133 MHz.

    Memory and RAM speed in Task Manager

How to RAM Speed Test With an App

You can also test your Windows 10 device’s RAM with a free downloadable diagnostic tool available at the UserBenchmark website.

UserBenchmark download website.

Once downloaded, all you need to do is open the file, and it’ll automatically run a RAM speed test in addition to a variety of other speed tests for things like CPU and SSD. The test only takes a minute or so. Then the results are displayed in a report in your web browser.

When building a gaming PC, fast RAM is important, but there are some other parts you’ll also need.

While your RAM speed is in this report, it’s also given context with an explanation of what kind of tasks your Windows 10 device is suitable for in its current configuration.

Windows 10 RAM speed report via UserBenchmark.

For example, your Surface Pro 6 may be perfect for casual app usage but may be too weak for running major video game titles.

Before investing in the new RAM, check to see if your Windows 10 computer is upgradeable and compatible with the latest RAM releases.  

The UserBenchmark report can also advise you as to what other parts of your computer may need upgrading.

What’s the Difference Between MHz and GHz?

RAM speed is measured in MHz (megahertz) or GHz (gigahertz) in diagnostics and reports. While they do look a bit different, they both use the same measurement system.

1 GHz is simply equal to 1,000 MHz. So a RAM speed of 1867 MHz could be displayed (and rounded up) as 1.9 GHz.

The usage of GHz makes large numbers easier to comprehend for consumers. It’s similar to how GB is often used instead of MB when describing storage or file size.

As technology advances and RAM speeds increase, GHz will likely become more and more common.

FAQ
  • How do I check RAM speed in Windows 7?

    An easy way to check RAM speed in Windows 7: Type ram into the search box and select Show how much RAM is on this computer. In the dialog box that opens, view your computer system information, including RAM speed, type, and size.

  • How do I check RAM on a Mac?

    From the Apple menu, click About This Mac to open a window displaying your Mac's stats, including how much RAM it has. For more information, go to the Apple menu > About This Mac > System Report, click Memory, and view more details, including how your Mac's RAM is split up.

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