Question about RAM

[outsidethelines]

I have had my new Macbook Pro for about two weeks now. I was exploring and found the "about this mac" section. When I was viewing my RAM (I have 4 GB) I found out that both 2 GB slots are in use. How in the world is this possible? All I have downloaded is Office and applications like Skype and Spotify. I don't understand how all of my RAM is in use. I am planning on one day in the future putting Windows on my laptop so that I can run the programs that are only for Windows but you need like 1 GB of RAM for that. Also, I heard the less RAM you have the slower your computer is. Can anyone help me figure this out? Thanks

 

[Intell]

Both physical slots have a stick of ram in them. Thus, they are in use. It does not mean that 4Gb of ram is being used by the system.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

"Memory" is not the same as "hard drive capacity":

• What is Computer Memory? RAM vs Hard Drive
• RAM vs. Hard Disk

It is recommended, to have 10 to 20 % of the HDD's capacity unused.

Upgrading RAM in MacBooks and MacBook Pros​

Helpful Information for Any Mac User by GGJstudios​

 

[outsidethelines]

Both physical slots have a stick of ram in them. Thus, they are in use. It does not mean that 4Gb of ram is being used by the system.

So how do I find out how much RAM is being used?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

So how do I find out how much RAM is being used?

Do you understand what RAM is?

You can use Activity Monitor > System Memory to find how much RAM is in use.
Mac OS X: Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor

What is a Hard Disk Drive (HDD)? - measured in Bytes (B), MegaBytes (MB), GigaBytes (GB) and TeraBytes (TB)

The hard disk drive is the main, and usually largest, data storage device in a computer. The operating system, software titles and most other files are stored in the hard disk drive.

What Is a Solid State Drive (SSD)?

A solid-state drive (SSD), also called a flash drive, is type of hard drive. Though the architecture of an SSD is quite different from traditional hard drives, the name is carried over. An SSD utilizes a special kind of memory chip with erasable, writeable cells that can hold data even when powered off. It might help to think of an SSD as the larger cousin of the memory stick.

Another article about SSD technology

What is a CPU? - measured in MegaHertz (MHz) and GigaHertz (GHz)

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is responsible for interpreting and executing most of the commands from the computer's hardware and software. It is often called the "brains" of the computer.

What is RAM? - measured again in MB and GB

Random Access Memory (RAM) is the "working memory" in a computer. Additional RAM allows a computer to work with more information at the same time which can have a dramatic effect on total system performance.