Can you run out of RAM?

[basement brother]

Hello, I am new to pc gaming and dont know all the ins and outs of the computor. I know that you need a required amount of RAM to play certain games, but do you then lose that RAM? (in other words is it like storage where theres only so much of it until its gone?) For example I have 8GB of RAM but if I were to buy say, call of duty advanced warfare, which requires 8GB or RAM would I then have no RAM? -so confused
Please help, and thank you

[Cathulhu]

RAM is comparable to short term memory. It takes stuff from your harddrive and puts it into the RAM, which is a lot faster.
You can run out of RAM, but you can't lose it.
When you close Advanced Warfare the part of the RAM that was used is cleared to be used again by other applications. That happens automatically.

[TirithRR]

RAM is only used when needed. It is not consumed like Hard Drive space.

When you run a game or program, it will start to use RAM. When you stop running the game, it will stop using the RAM.

RAM is special memory that is used to load things that are being used at the moment. It is written to and read from much faster than Harddrives.

[basement brother]

so if im playing a game the ram is used, but when i stop playing it simply rests?

[basement brother]

resets*

[TirithRR]

Yes.

[basement brother]

oh, ok. thanks guys!

[The Giving One]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Black Sensation:

so if im playing a game the ram is used, but when i stop playing it simply rests?

Basically...yes. It's like a gas pedal in a car. If you need it, then the computer mashes the gas and gives you more. When you stop, the car idles and the "extra" power that is not being used is there when it is needed. Sorry...best I could do with the example....LOL

[Empirekicking]

Most PC has the max of 8Gb installed, and most gaming people have 16Gb, that's plaenty with extra space left