The boring tech upgrade that actually made my browsing ex…

There’s a few ways to get around RAM issues

Since I've had problems with my desktop computer and spent months diagnosing them with ChatGPT, I've been extra cautious about how I handle my tech. For example, over the past few months, I have been extra diligent about my RAM usage. Since there's nothing more frustrating than working on a writing project and having my Chrome and Firefox tabs crash in the middle, sometimes forcing the application to restart.

So I've been trying to find ways to properly cope until I can save up to repair my computer (or cross my fingers that it doesn't warrant a full replacement). Since I really do like working on my Windows 11 desktop more than on my Chromebook and laptop, I decided to search for tools that can make my browsing experience less CPU- and RAM-intensive than it needs to be. I came across some findings that helped a little with this problem.

I tinkered with my virtual RAM. I thought maybe switching my web browser would do the trick, but it doesn't help. Most good web browsers, like Vivaldi, Brave, and even Edge, are based on Chromium. Chromium-based browsers use the Chromium engine. Which means they share the same foundational engine, architectural philosophies, and resource-heavy design as Chrome. I tested this theory by trying both Vivaldi and Microsoft Edge, and lo and behold, I still had problems.

I did my best using Mozilla Firefox, one of my favorite web browsers, but still ran into trouble because it's also quite resource-intensive. So I gave up on finding web browser alternatives that worked with my sensitive computer. But I couldn't just sweep the problem under the rug. That's when I decided to check whether there were any settings I could tinker with to improve it, since I rely on different tabs for reading, writing, and researching ideas.

Plus, if I wanted to use ChatGPT for troubleshooting, I can't because the tab crashes after two minutes of use on my computer. I tried everything. I closed all my sessions. Removed the temporary files stored, cleared my cache, used the task manager to close other programs, and it still didn't help. It happened in any web browser I changed from. The Memory Saver option in Settings > Performance on Chrome was the main setting I changed, but even then, it wasn't enough.

Memory Saver is most helpful when you're bouncing between tabs, so your inactive tabs use less CPU/RAM than your active tabs. So I gave up on web hopping and decided to see if I had other options, anything that could act as an upgrade. Repairing a computer and future-proofing it can get expensive. I already know that after I replace my power supply unit (PSU), I will need to eventually upgrade my RAM.

So I thought to myself: budget smartphones sometimes use virtual RAM to compensate for the lack of physical RAM. Why not see if this applies to computers? Voilà, it turns out you can do that. You can convert some of your internal storage, such as an SSD or HDD, into virtual RAM for your PC. But remember, there are repercussions for doing this. For one, your PC won't perform any faster. Two, you can still experience "thrashing" if you rely too much on virtual memory rather than physical RAM.

In my case, I'm desperate. I need time to solve my RAM problems without paying for all my new PC parts at once. So I went ahead and converted my storage into virtual RAM. I did this on Windows 11, but it is also possible on Windows 10. Here's how I did it through my system settings: From there, locate the Advanced system settings. Selecting Advanced system settings opens up a new window. Ensure you're on the Advanced tab.

Find the Performance section and choose Settings. This opens a second window that shows your performance options. From there, select the Advanced tab, then click Change in the Virtual Memory section. Unselect Automatically manage paging file size for all drives at the top. Then click the Custom size radio button to enter new initial and maximum field values in the empty fields. Click Ok at the bottom of the window to confirm.

After you're done, restart your computer. The entered values will ultimately depend on your internal drive space. It is recommended to set the initial size to 1.5 times the physical RAM and the maximum size to 3 times the physical RAM. Again, this is a Band-Aid solution. It helps if you're a lightweight user and generally worried about your RAM usage, since upgrading RAM is expensive. Constant read and write operations with virtual RAM will shorten the lifespan of your hard drive.

Using virtual RAM is the best option to prevent my web browser tabs from crashing. In the ideal world, I'd love to simply replace the RAM in my computer, but unfortunately, I already need to buy a custom, proprietary PSU. The concept can also be translated over to mobile browsing. If you find you're running out of RAM on your smartphone. Look for a virtual RAM option on your phone. Just note that not all manufacturers support configurable virtual RAM.

Google doesn't have one for Pixel phones; it only has a dedicated slot for AI-only RAM for newer models. Samsung devices have it under the Memory option in the Device care settings. Look for the RAM Plus feature to configure it. Motorola phones should have a similar RAM Boost option that can be configured as well. But if your device has at least 12GB of physical RAM, it should perform adequately with mobile browsing.

Relying on virtual RAM could cause the device to slow down instead. Moreover, some phones might work better if you disable the virtual RAM feature altogether. I know firsthand that when your computer or phone doesn't work the way it should, it can be demoralizing. I've switched my Samsung Galaxy S23 to a Samsung Galaxy S25+ much more quickly than I normally would because micromanaging my device after an OS upgrade was tiring.

But with tech breaking down suddenly, sometimes, I wish I had waited a little longer to jump on the upgrade train. If you look closely enough, you'll notice plenty of tools that can alleviate some performance issues, which should give you enough time to get the right upgrade when you're able.

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