Are you noticing some random lag/micro-stutter when you’re playing any demanding Steam game on your PC? Chances are the game is already hitting the memory limit & dropping framerates.
One way to avoid this dilemma without buying more RAM is to allocate more system memory for the game. So what’s the most effective way to do so?
Let’s dive into this article & find out, shall we?
Can I Allocate More RAM to Steam Games?
Yes, you can allocate more RAM to Steam games, but not in a traditional way. You can not set an exact amount of memory for a specific game or force the game to use the entire memory pool.
You can choose a higher priority level for a resource-intensive game & allow it to utilize as much system RAM as it demands. It can translate to better framerate stability and overall performance increase.
Furthermore, some apps/programs, such as Adobe Photoshop or Chrome tabs, can hoard a hefty chunk of the available system memory. Closing these programs/services can free up a lot of system memory and make them available for games.
Honestly, only developers can set how much RAM a game can utilize. We can’t manually set a specific amount of RAM for a specific game, but we can use alternate ways to allocate more RAM so that more system memory is available for the game and get more fps in that game. This brings us to our next topic…
How to Allocate More RAM to a Steam Game
If you want to allocate more RAM to a Steam game, open the Task Manager and go to the Details tab. You’ll notice a lot of services & programs running, so scroll down & find your desired Steam game. Now right-click on it & select Set priority > High.
Alternatively, you can close all the unnecessary programs/services and disable anti-virus software on your PC to free up some system memory and improve computer speed.
Below, I have further explained the methods to allocate more system memory for Steam games.
Here are the methods to allocate more RAM to Steam games:
Via Task Manager
Windows Task Manager has a built-in option to set resource priority for resource-intensive software. For example, choosing a higher priority level for a game with high system requirements will allocate more RAM to it & improve in-game performance.
Here’s how to set priority for Steam games in the task manager:
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the Task Manager.
- Navigate to the Details tab.
- Scroll down and find your desired Steam game.
- Right-click on the game’s name and hover the mouse cursor over Set priority.
- Select High.
- Click on Change priority.
Now, your preferred Steam game will have resource priority over other programs/services. It is most useful when you have multiple apps running in the background & you need to allocate as much RAM as the game requires.
Close Background-Running Apps/Programs
Memory-heavy apps, such as photo/video editing softwares, and web browsers, can often reduce the amount of free RAM available for other programs or games. As a result, you might experience fps stability issues when running a resource-demanding game.
Simply go to the Task Manager & choose the programs/services you don’t need running in the background when playing games. Now click End task. Close all browser tabs and any background-running unnecessary services before you launch a game on Steam.
Also, follow our steps to stop background apps in Windows 11.
Disable Anti-virus
Anti-virus software is notorious for hogging excessive amounts of system memory and causing performance issues for resource-intensive games. One simple way to allocate more RAM for such games is to close any anti-virus software installed on your computer.
Furthermore, you can keep an eye on the memory usage of any programs or games from the Task Manager. If you’ve closed all the redundant apps & services but still notice the game hitting the max memory limit, it’s time for you to buy & add more RAM modules to your PC.
By following the methods described above, you’ll be able to assign more memory resources to Steam games. But not only just Steam, you can also allocate more RAMs to Warzone and Terraria and boost the fps.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much RAM do I need for Steam gaming?
16GB is an ideal amount of RAM for playing most Steam games. Anything less might cause performance issues in recent demanding games such as Cyberpunk 2077.
Does more RAM mean better gaming performance?
If you are playing a graphically intensive game, having more RAM (at least 16GB) is standard for a lag-free gaming experience. But adding more RAM won’t translate to better performance if you are playing a less complex game or using a 32-bit system.
How much RAM does Steam use?
The Steam client generally uses less than 512MB of system RAM, including all the Steam services such as Steam Client Service(32-bit), Steam Client WebHelper, etc.
Conclusion
It’s frustrating when you experience frame drops due to the lack of available system RAM, even when the game’s requirement matches your PC specs. Fortunately, allocating more RAM to the game can often resolve this issue.
Hopefully, this write-up has helped you effortlessly allocate more RAM to your favorite Steam game.
That’s about it. If you have further questions about this topic, feel free to share them in the comment section below. GGWP!
