Data Memory Systems Launches Brand New Site

Data Memory Systems’ brand new website has launched and is already making it incredibly easy for those looking to upgrade their computer memory to find the components and memory upgrades that they need. The smooth new interface allows easy access to all areas of the site and there are many new options for customers to ensure that the process of finding and acquiring the means to speed up their device is simple and efficient.

The new navigation bar along the top of the homepage divides the site into very clear sections so that customers can be very clear of the products they’re browsing. With sections for Apple memory, PC memory and flash memory, as well as external drives and any extra accessories or components, the simple new navigation bar means that those wishing to purchase from the website can find their desired product quickly and without trawling through pages of related products. There is even a section for ‘popular memory’, which allows those who aren’t hugely knowledgeable about computer memory solutions to see which are the most commonly purchased and recommended upgrades for their system.

The Data Memory Systems homepage now also features a ‘Find Your Memory’ function, which takes just seconds to fill out and redirects the customer to the products which will fit their requirements. The criteria include product category (whether the upgrade is for a desktop, laptop, external device such as a camera etc.), what manufacturer the product is from, what sub-category or other brand name the product falls under (such as Acer Aspire or Dell Inspiron) and finally what model the product is. For example, if searching for a memory upgrade for a desktop computer made by Hewlett-Packard, which is a Compaq Evo D210, customers simply fill in this information and are taken to the computer memory solutions which are suitable for this product.

As well as this great new tool for easy access to products, there are also links to all of the guarantees provided by Data Memory Systems. 30-day return policies, lifetime warranties and free delivery are all pledges which are explained in greater detail through a menu on the right of the homepage. There are also links to special offers, great deals and products of interest so customers unsure of what they want can click around and familiarise themselves with what is available. The new site improves access all-round for those looking for cost-effective and high-quality ways to increase the performance of their system, with a variety of options from RAM memory through to flash memory cards.

The Basics Of Upgrading Computer Memory

As a rule of thumb, the more memory a computer has, the higher its overall performance level will be. Upgrading computer memory means that computers have the ability to perform tasks more quickly and handle a higher workload, opening more programs and carrying out more actions in the background. With computers becoming ever more the hub of daily life, storing all vital information and being tools of not only business but leisure, it’s becoming more and more important that a computer runs at optimum speed and has enough memory to do what is asked of it.

 

But there are numerous things to consider before upgrading PC or Apple memory. Firstly, the type of memory the device has must be identified. In general, older devices will use SDR RAM or DDR RAM, whilst the more modern products use the higher-performance memory options DDR2 or DDR3 RAM. Once the type of memory has been established, it’s important to consider how much room there is on the motherboard to actually add memory. There should be at least 4 memory DIMM slots situated close to the processor on most motherboards; if these are full, it might be beneficial to look at replacing those sticks with a higher capacity memory upgrade. The speed of the memory is also important, as many manufacturers recommend matching the speed of the existing memory with the speed of any new upgrades which are being installed.

 

Once the specifics have been established and the user has identified the type of memory they must acquire, they should decide just how much memory they wish to install. To get an idea of how much memory each computer will probably need, it is advised that users look at the details of the operating system, and at the programs which are most often used on the machine. In the settings or the description of the program, there will be a ‘minimum’ and ‘recommended’ amount of memory. Having the minimum amount of memory installed on the computer mean that the program will simply run; it may not be particularly fast or efficient, but the program will run. To get it to run with a decent speed, the recommended amount of memory should be available. To allow a final performance boost and get the program to run at a good speed whilst multi-tasking with other programs and task, users should have double the amount of recommended memory free.

 

General guidelines state that 2GB of memory is satisfactory for a new system, with 4GB preferable. Users who require a more powerful system, whether they are a gamer, businessperson or simply a computer enthusiast, may benefit from 8GB of RAM memory, depending on the programs they wish to run simultaneously.

 

To find out more about the new range of memory solutions from Data Memory Systems and to buy online, visit http://www.datamemorysystems.com

Apple Launch New iMac and Mac Mini

As well as delivering the highly-anticipated iPad Mini at a launch event last week, Apple has also announced updates to their Mac Mini and iMac ranges which should please those who had been seeking more computer memory options for their existing Apple products. Complaints recently made about the recently revamped Macbook Pro stated that many consumers were unhappy about the non-upgradable memory within the systems, prompting Apple to reconsider memory options across their other devices.

 

The Mac Mini, which has long since been hailed as the most compact desktop computer available to buy, features improvements ranging from performances to extra USB 3.0 ports, but one of the more pleasing upgrades was the shift from the old 2GB memory to 4GB. Doubling the RAM memory in this way means that the operating system will run much more smoothly, with multitasking made far easier and faster. The Mac Mini is noted for being compact without compromising on power, and this new update runs at speeds of up to twice as fast whilst maintaining its portability. For those who find that 4GB of memory is insufficient, the Mac Minis are also easily upgradable.

 

Since their inception, iMacs have gone through strength to strength, emerging from each redesign more powerful than ever. This new update is no exception; as well as a slimmer build, improved optical quality, 60% faster graphics, a HD camera, four USB 3.0 ports and two Thunderbolt ports, the iMac’s capacity for Apple memory upgrades has also been vastly upgraded. The 21-inch iMac have two RAM slots and support up to 16GB of RAM, and the 27-inch iMacs now have four RAM slots, with a total potential memory allocation of 32GB, doubling their previous amount (both models start out with 8GB of RAM, but the larger model has the capacity to upgrade further).

 

One of the most exciting Apple memory solutions to launch in previous years, though, is the Fusion Drive, which uses flash memory like the memory found on the iPad to improve hard disk access speeds. SSDs (solid-state drives) often offer higher levels of performance on other devices, but with their storage space compromised; the Fusion Drive solves this issue by pairing a smaller SSD with a hard disk equal to or larger than 1TB. The operating system and the core apps which run on every Apple system are preloaded onto this new, faster SSD, and the intelligent drive even adds the ‘most-used’ apps to its storage too, to ensure their access times are the fastest possible.

Windows 8 Launches; DRAM Sales Set To Stall

In the past, the launch of brand new PC operating systems, especially those from Microsoft, have generated a surge in quarterly DRAM shipments and created huge demand for higher-performance memory and hardware. Windows 2000 famously sent computer memory demand soaring by almost 50%, and double-digit jump in revenues are generally expected whenever Microsoft posts a major update. But with the brand new Windows 8 moving away from conventional computer memory options and streamlining their hard drives, the market has seen a dip in sales, for the second time in a row when a new version of Windows has been released.

 

The leaner memory requirements for Windows 8 have indicated that shipments of RAM memory and other hardware will not significantly increase in the last quarter of 2012; a rarity considering it is the quarter leading up to the traditionally frenetic Christmas season. Predictions of a boost of just 8% will see the smallest DRAM increase in recent years. The trend is no new phenomenon; it actually commenced with Windows 7. Its predecessor, Windows Vista, was infamously resource-hungry, and with the introduction of Windows 7 and 8, Microsoft took the decision to reduce their operating systems’ reliance on DRAM.

 

The gradual slowing in demand for DRAM might not be great for the industry as a whole, but consumers can currently take advantage of incredible deals on PC memory upgrades. What has turned out to be a huge oversupply during the past two years has meant that the demand, and therefore the prices, for basic memory solutions are now lower than ever before. 4GB of computer memory is now available for around $16 - $20, meaning that anyone who does wish to upgrade a system in preparation for Windows 8, or upgrade purely because they’d like a higher-performing unit, can do so much more cost-effectively.

 

As gloomy as the figures for the future of DRAM in PCs appear to be, there is an area of the memory market which might benefit Windows 8. Flash memory is an aspect of storage which might see something of a boost, as a direct result of the new Windows To Go option, which allows users to boot up and run Windows 8 from a flash drive. Able to run on both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connections, Windows To Go is a revolution for companies, travellers and those working from home, and the market for USB storage devices might well receive a welcome boost as a result of the launch.

Apple’s Fusion Drive – The Advantages

The latest Apple launch garnered worldwide attention, as is its custom nowadays, and was used to reveal the brand new iPad Mini, as well as a whole host of other updates and changes to their existing products. One of the most exciting new features was the introduction of the Fusion drive, available in their desktop Apple computers, the iMac and the Mac Mini. The Fusion drive combines hard disk drives with flash memory and offers a ‘fusion’ of 128GB of NAND flash memory, and either a huge 1TB or 3TB hard disk drive.

 

When paired together, this combination of Apple memory types means much faster boot times, as well as a rapid launch of pre-loaded applications and programs. These apps, the operating system itself and any vital programs are all pre-loaded onto the flash memory for the fastest possible access times. 4GB of the flash memory is also devoted to acting as a write buffer, which stores new data on the flash memory whilst speeding up writes that don’t fit comfortable on the buffer. The older data is transferred to the hard disk drive as and when it is written, speeding up performance substantially, especially when writing smaller amounts of data.

 

By moving the most frequently-accessed data and apps to the flash memory, and moving the least frequently-accessed data to the hard disk drive, access times for the most popular functions are incredibly fast. In managing the storage this way, combining the best of both computer memory solutions, Apple came up with the name for the Fusion drive. This brand new approach to memory is being hailed as a performance-booster for hard disk drive-only computers, with a much lower price tag than a SSD-only computer.

 

As Apple has already introduced this new memory option in its desktop computers, it seems only a matter of time before it is implemented within their range of notebooks. The write cache would be a revolutionary feature for notebooks, which are currently hybrid hard disk drives unsupportive of write caching. In allowing the hard disk drive to consume lower power for longer periods of time, battery life for notebooks could be vastly improved upon, as well as the overall performance boost that would be standard.

Apple has long since been the go-to manufacturer for many users who regularly access vast amounts of content, including artists, musicians, designers and other creative professionals. Increasing the amount of local storage their products have, whilst simultaneously increasing the levels of performance could be the last piece of the puzzle for Apple. This new dual storage option offers both capacity and speed, and can be expected to be wheeled out within all Apple products in the coming years.

 

Memory Market Facing Huge Changes

Manufacturers of computer memory are already engaged in strategic planning for several years ahead, but with huge changes taking place in the market currently, as well as demands for DRAM taking a hit, some are said to be struggling to figure out how much of their budget to allocate to producing new memory. In recent years, the upgrade cycles of computers have meant that DRAM suppliers have continually advanced their technologies and adjusted their prices accordingly. However, the declining sales of PCs, and the emergence of tablets and smartphones as a potential replacement, has seen the upgrade cycle stretch from just two years up to four or five. The back-to-school season from August to September has been a let-down for many companies, and the Christmas surge is yet to pick up the pace, not even with the glimmer of Windows 8 on the horizon. The manufacturers of DRAM have been unable to improve their sales, and as a result of this, it seems increasingly likely that even the largest companies who produce memory will be reducing their output.

TrendForce, a leading market research company, reports that Samsung, the industry leader of RAM memory, will spent 2013 being highly conservative and will slow down technology migration plans considerably. The majority of companies will face heavy losses in the next calendar year, although TrendForce also believes that the largest suppliers, such as Samsung and SK Hynix, will still be standing when the dust settles. It is companies in Taiwan who will experience the biggest losses and will need to decrease their PC DRAM production by the largest amount. Nanya intends to turn from commodity DRAM to specialty DRAM production, while Powerchip could follow suit. The industry-wide slow output has seen predictions for bit supply growth hit just 22.2%.

Despite all of this doom and gloom, the DRAM industry is a viable, competitive and sustainable market. PC shipments are no longer the mainstream; figures for PC sales dipped below a 50% market share for the first time this year, but it doesn’t mean that this is the end of the personal computer. In fact, tales of the demise of DRAM have been greatly exaggerated. The oversupply which started in the past two years or so has seen prices for 4GB memory solutions fall to historical lows; great for consumers and the general public. Indeed, some of the cheapest 4GB PC memory solutions are now in the region of just $16, meaning that many PC users can now upgrade their existing systems to make them faster than ever. The market may be in dire straits, but this doesn’t mean that the consumer will suffer in any way. The cheaper memory solutions now available won’t dramatically boost the sales of DRAM worldwide, but they can certainly provide a personal computer with a cost-effective and high-quality upgrade.

The 2012 Macbook Pro Memory Mystery

Although it has been billed as ‘the most beautiful computer’ that Apple have ever built, and was launched to incredible sales figures in its opening weeks, the newest model of the Macbook Pro has come under fire for its non-upgradable memory and internal storage. Indeed, the lack of Apple memory options available for the new model has been listed as the top complaint for users of the new system, alongside the thermal shutdown function and the relative inability to repair faulty machines. The glued-in battery and the soldered RAM memory renders any sort of modification impossible. 25% of users surveyed by a FixYa report found this flaw unacceptable and are actively searching for ways in which the memory of their expensive new models can be enhanced.

Experts are advising that if consumers wish to buy a Macbook Pro with extensive memory options, they purchase an older model, but this would mean missing out on the celebrated new retina display along with a host of other new features. Those who wish to enjoy the new features of a Macbook Pro can turn to the alternative of purchasing external storage to store their most important files. External hard disks or hard drives can massively expand the initial space for Apple products and their small size fits perfectly with the portable element of the famously thin laptops.

External hard drives come with a whole raft of different options and sizes. Many of them utilize FireWire 800, Apple’s branded name for their own high-speed data serial bus, which can transfer data at rates of up to 800 megabits per second. USB 2.0 connectivity is also a standard so the units can be used to extend PC storage as well as that of a Macbook Pro. Units such as the 500GB Lacie Rugged 2.5-inch External Hard Drive are entirely powered by the port they are connected to, be that FireWire or USB, and they are plug and play, so no drivers are needed to necessitate use. These external drives are ideal for backups, as well as storing and transferring music, photos and other data. The shock resistant rubber bumper around the edges of the drive means this type of drive offers optimum portability and can be coupled with a Macbook Pro on the go for a powerful, high-speed memory upgrade.

Flash memory is also an alternative to keeping the data storage within a Macbook Pro relatively clear. USB flash drives and SD memory cards can effectively store photos and other important documents away from the system itself to keep it running smoothly and prevent the memory from becoming full too quickly. USB drives generally have much smaller capacity than external hard drives, but their higher levels of portability make them easier to use for those constantly on the go.