Computer Memory

If you are in any way, thinking of upgrading the RAM on your PC, then the starting point is naturally going to be what your current memory state is. Factors that will guide your future RAM choice will include:

•  What type of RAM do I have? (e.g. DDR2, DDR3 etc)
•  How much memory do you have installed already?
•  What RAM does your motherboard support?

The last thing you want to do is guess, as you could be just throwing money away if you purchase unsuitable RAM hardware.

So, with this in mind, here is a step by step guide to checking your RAM setup:

Option 1 

Step 1
As Windows system configuration information found on the PC itself will only include very basic information about the amount of RAM you have and how much is ‘useable’, there is a necessity to download a free 3rd party application to provide you with more detailed data.
One we would recommend is ‘CPU-Z’. The reason for this endorsement is not financially driven (ie we’re getting paid to say nice things about them). It is because they have a good reputation and are a safe bet for downloads...and of course because it’s free.

Step 2
Once your download is complete, you just need to follow the installation instructions to get it on your PC. Launch the application and perform the necessary scan.
You will then be presented with the required information regarding your PC. This application will have scanned the whole computer and lots of detailed info will be available under the general CPU, Caches, Motherboard, Memory, SPD and Graphics.
 
Select ‘Memory’ and you should now be seeing all of your Memory system info.

Things to look out for

You will be looking at a lot of information, but the first one you should be seeing is the ‘Type’ of RAM, which is the main thrust of this article.

Presuming you have a relatively recent laptop or PC, then you will have installed, a version Double Data Rate (or DDR) SDRAM. Possible types are DDR, DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4, with DDR4 being the most recent and consequently most powerful. Simply, the higher number at the end, the newer the version is.

Option 2

Search for your specific model within the Offtek memory configurator and we will list the exact modules that are compatible with your machine.  Should your model not be listed contact one of our customer services team who will do the research for you and provide you with information on the correct memory upgrade for your machine.

A note of Caution

If you don’t go for the CPU-Z scanning application mentioned earlier, then do please do your research before you download anything. Some less reputable sites can hide malware, adware and alternative browsers in with the download, so be careful!

Foxconn Technology Group Limited is a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer on a global scale, with its headquarters located in New Taipei, Taiwan. Far from being just a well performing multinational, it enjoys a status as the 4th biggest IT company in the world, when measured on annual revenue. The company’s Chinese operation alone represents one of the world’s biggest employers of people by volume and is THE biggest private employer in the Chinese Republic.

Foxconn’s chairman and founder, Terry Gou leads a company that boasts a wide range of prestigious IT clients from the US, China, Europe and Japan. The manufacturer supplies a wide array of hardware for the following well known devices:

• iPad
• Blackberry
• iPhone
• Kindle
• Nintendo 3DS/Wii U
• Playstation 4
• Xbox One

Company History
Back in 1974, the company known now as Foxconn was called Hon Hai Precision Industry Company Ltd and its sole focus was the production of electrical hardware to be used in the manufacturing of home computer systems. One of its most notable early creations were components used in the then Ubiquitous games system from Atari. Electrical connectors made by Hon Hai Precision were central to the success of Atari’s flagship model, the classic 2600.

Branching Out
Having previously operated solely in their native country, the company opened its very first manufacturing plant in China, in Longhua Town, Shenzhen in 1988. The company enjoyed strategic growth over the following years, culminating in Intel dropping previous motherboard supplier Asus in favour of Foxconn and its hardware in 2001.

In 2007, Foxconn made public, plans to build a ½billion dollar manufacturing plant in Southern China to further expand its reach and position in the market.

Acquisition
In the Spring of 2012, the company acquired a 10% stake in Sharp Corporation, for a staggering $806m and would go on to buy a 50% stake in the Japanese giant’s LCD production business. Further expansion occurred in the same year, as Foxconn revealed plans for ½billion dollars worth of investment in the creation of 5 brand new production plants in Itu, Brazil. A move that would create 10,000 much needed jobs in the area.

BuyOut
After a successful collaborative period with Sharp, the decision was made to take full control of the company, by purchasing more than 66% of the available shares in the company. This move cost Foxconn for an estimated in the region of $1billion.

In the modern day, Foxconn still sits at the top table in the electronics hardware manufacturing world and is currently involved in a joint enterprise with Harmony New Energy Auto, a prestigious car dealership, with the sole aim of selling viable fully autonomous electric cars by the beginning of the next decade.

From very humble beginnings, Foxconn has been a major player in their field for around 40 years and will likely be around for a significant amount of time to come.