Did you find a feature in your phone settings that says to add more RAM to make everything faster and better? This setting is a bit of a lie - there is no way to add more memory to the phone, and the amount that was put into it when it was made can never be changed. However, certain software tricks can be performed that could theoretically increase its performance. We are talking about virtual RAM. But what is it and most importantly: What is it for you?
What is RAM and how does it work?
RAM stands for Random Access Memory (random access memory) and these are semiconductor memories that every computer, as well as other electronic devices such as smartphones or tablets, need for their operation. It's the storage that holds data about the things you do and the apps you actively use, and optimizing it is important because of its impact on performance. Your device's processor can communicate with it directly, and retrieving data from it is virtually instantaneous.
All operating systems have a way to manage RAM usage, incl Androidu. Some of it has to be reserved for things like cellular modem or video memory, so if your phone comes with 8GB of RAM, you can only use roughly 6,5GB. This is the section used to load applications and their associated data. Your apps are not installed in RAM, but are loaded when you open them. You may have heard the phrase “Android is Linux" and "free RAM is a waste of RAM". Both are technically true, but in reality it's not that simple.
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Android it is not Linux, just like Ubuntu is not Linux. Android it is highly optimized for use on a low power and resource system, which means it manages memory very differently. A simple way to think of it is that your phone "learns" what apps you use and keeps them loaded in RAM so they can be opened immediately. That's because of how it actually works - open apps are kept in RAM until free space is needed, and then the apps that have been there the longest are purged to make room for something new. That's why some say free RAM is a waste.
The Linux kernel can also use a swap file. Windows and macOS do the same. This is the space on the storage drive that is designated to be used to store applications and data for faster loading. If you open an app and it's saved to the clipboard, it will load faster than if it wasn't opened at all. And this is exactly what virtual memory functions like RAM boost and others do.
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Is virtual RAM worth using?
The idea of creating a large dedicated space on the storage drive for data exchange is a good one. Once all the technical details are worked out, the drive actually behaves like physical RAM. It's a good way for your phone manufacturer to spend less money and promise more performance. Manufacturers know that customers like to hear about such things, so they do it with pleasure.
Features of Samsung RAM Plus
However, a smartphone is not the same as a desktop computer, and using the storage space to transfer app data is useless because it is very slow. It is also unnecessary because Android it was designed for phones without a lot of memory and aggressively compensates for this fact.
Why using virtual RAM is useless is easy to answer: many phones offering virtual memory feature use eMMC type storage. This type of storage is very slow and in no way suitable for use as a spare disk. Reading chunks of data isn't faster than when the app first opens, and transferring data in and out isn't fast enough for an app that expects data at a certain time. Additionally, this storage will wear out much sooner with virtual RAM than without it.
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Faster storage units like UFS would be better, but even those aren't nearly as fast as physical RAM. On a device using UFS, you would still have performance issues when using an application that uses virtual RAM.
So while the idea of more RAM in your phone may seem tempting, it's actually unnecessary use the virtual memory function. And as we mentioned above, it can also be harmful to your phone. Today, 8 GB of RAM is quite sufficient for a phone, and you can get a device with this capacity today at a price that won't break your wallet. So you can safely ignore the virtual memory function. Samsung offers its own RAM Plus feature. If you want to turn it off after reading this text, you can do so through the instructions <a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1932/8043/files/200721_ODSTOUPENI_BEZ_UDANI_DUVODU__EN.pdf?v=1595428404" data-gt-href-en="https://en.notsofunnyany.com/">here</a>.
A row Galaxy You can buy the S24 with up to 12GB of RAM here
Android it has a linux kernel in it. Ubuntu IS linux, what else is it?
Sorry, the author of this article doesn't even understand the issue. They have no idea how the kernel works, what Linux is and isn't, how the memory manager works androidu or what exactly is virtual memory. Current eMMC memories are trimmed so their wear is uniform. If you get a cheaper new computer, you'll have eMMC there anyway and you'll have the pagefile saved to disk anyway.
Apparently the problem here is that manufacturers use ZRAM here, which is a compressed partition in RAM. Current processors can work fast enough with a compressed volume as well as with an uncompressed one. It doesn't take as much energy and adds ergonomics for multitasking.
For example, my Samsung Note 10.1, on which I am currently writing this comment, has ZRAM activated.