The more RAM you have, the more things you can have quick access to at any one time. The RAM is like an entire office workstation, while the CPU cache is like the actual working area where you actively work on a document. The hard drive is the filing cabinet in the corner.
Your system uses RAM to store working parts of the operating system temporarily and the data your applications are using actively. It acts as a middle ground between the small, super-fast cache in your CPU and the large, super-slow storage of your hard drive or solid-state drive (SSD). Read on for explanations on the different kinds of RAM, how to read RAM specifications, and exactly how RAM works. What's the difference between DDR3 and DDR4? DIMM and SO-DIMM? Is there a difference between DRR3-1600 and PC3-12800? Is RAM latency and timing important? Shopping for RAM can be confusing, though.
You probably already know that more RAM is better, but maybe you're looking to install more RAM now. It's where your computer keeps track of the programs and data you're using right now. RAM is the short-term memory of your computer.