Help with unistalling apps and freeing up RAM

[testudoaubreii]

Hello,

I just bought a Galaxy Tab S and I was wondering if there is any way to remove some of the non-essential apps. My RAM is at 1.87 out of 2.7, and I want to free up as much as I can. I don't really know what apps I need for the tablet to run, but all I will be doing on it is watching and streaming movies and streaming my PC games via Gamestream. Which actually brings me to another question: Can I use my Dualshock 4 controller with Moonlight Game Streaming or do I have to purchase an OTG adapter?

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Mal Lignant Tumor]

RAM operates differently in Android than conventional PC operating systems. Android runs better when RAM is being used, as it keeps the system running better and faster. It is not a good idea to try to free up RAM space in Android.

I can't address your gaming setup. Someone will be along to assist with that.

 

[Crashdamage]

Don't worry about it. Mal Lignant Tumor is correct.

Android handles RAM differently than Windows. It's normal, desirable behavior for RAM to run around 75-85% full, maybe even a little higher. Don't be tempted to use any task killers, RAM memory optimizers/boosters, battery savers/repairers, cache cleaners, etc etc. None of that stuff is necessary. They are counterproductive, waste power, disrupt system processes and degrade performance.

IOW, don't try to micromanage your phone. Don't install software that attempts to either. Let Android handle things as intended. It will automatically optimize operation if you let it.

For more information on how Android handles multitasking, processes, RAM, etc automatically for you read this post by one of the authors of Android:

Android Developers Blog: Multitasking the Android Way

 

[Rukbat]

What they both said - and the link is by someone who actually knows the code that makes up Android, so she knows how it works from inside (not under the hood - inside the engine).

Apps aren't stored in RAM anyway. You can have tons of apps on the phone and no RAM being used. Apps are stored in what's called NVRAM (non-volatile random access memory) - or ROM (Read Only Memory - except now it's writable, but the data stays there after you turn the phone off - data in RAM doesn't) by most people in the electronics industry. ("ROM" has come to mean the firmware in the phone, but that's really where it resides, not what it is.)

About the only problem you'll see from having too many apps in the phone is that you'll run out of space to install more apps. That's when you start to worry about uninstalling unneeded ones. (And unneeded by you doesn't necessarily mean unneeded by Android, so don't go uninstalling things without asking first.)

I can't emphasize Crash Damage's "Don't be tempted to use any task killers, RAM memory optimizers/boosters" enough. The easiest way to speed up your phone and get better battery life is to uninstall an app like that. (I've run tests on a lot of them.) And don't use apps written by those companies - they clearly don't understand how Android works. Battery savers? Greenify is one that really works. If the phone isn't rooted, you have to run it every day and greenify (actually force stop) all the apps on the list, but tapping one button does it for all of them automatically. (If the phone is rooted, Greenify just freezes the apps unless you run them yourself. It keeps the phone in deep sleep longer, which means less battery use.)

Cache cleaning? Cleaners work, but just look in Settings/General.Storage and you'll see how much cache is being used. 100MB? Don't worry about it. 3GB? Tap it and say yes to clear it. (I normally run about 25-75MB of cache being used [I just checked and had just under 2GB in use, so I cleared it. It won't cause a problem in a 32GB phone, but since I was there, and it was 1 tap ...]) You don't need apps running constantly to check it - they waste more than they save (so do most of the other types of apps Crash Damage mentioned).

 

[testudoaubreii]

RAM operates differently in Android than conventional PC operating systems. Android runs better when RAM is being used, as it keeps the system running better and faster. It is not a good idea to try to free up RAM space in Android.

I can't address your gaming setup. Someone will be along to assist with that.

Don't worry about it. Mal Lignant Tumor is correct.

Android handles RAM differently than Windows. It's normal, desirable behavior for RAM to run around 75-85% full, maybe even a little higher. Don't be tempted to use any task killers, RAM memory optimizers/boosters, battery savers/repairers, cache cleaners, etc etc. None of that stuff is necessary. They are counterproductive, waste power, disrupt system processes and degrade performance.

IOW, don't try to micromanage your phone. Don't install software that attempts to either. Let Android handle things as intended. It will automatically optimize operation if you let it.

For more information on how Android handles multitasking, processes, RAM, etc automatically for you read this post by one of the authors of Android:

What they both said - and the link is by someone who actually knows the code that makes up Android, so she knows how it works from inside (not under the hood - inside the engine).

Apps aren't stored in RAM anyway. You can have tons of apps on the phone and no RAM being used. Apps are stored in what's called NVRAM (non-volatile random access memory) - or ROM (Read Only Memory - except now it's writable, but the data stays there after you turn the phone off - data in RAM doesn't) by most people in the electronics industry. ("ROM" has come to mean the firmware in the phone, but that's really where it resides, not what it is.)

About the only problem you'll see from having too many apps in the phone is that you'll run out of space to install more apps. That's when you start to worry about uninstalling unneeded ones. (And unneeded by you doesn't necessarily mean unneeded by Android, so don't go uninstalling things without asking first.)

I can't emphasize Crash Damage's "Don't be tempted to use any task killers, RAM memory optimizers/boosters" enough. The easiest way to speed up your phone and get better battery life is to uninstall an app like that. (I've run tests on a lot of them.) And don't use apps written by those companies - they clearly don't understand how Android works. Battery savers? Greenify is one that really works. If the phone isn't rooted, you have to run it every day and greenify (actually force stop) all the apps on the list, but tapping one button does it for all of them automatically. (If the phone is rooted, Greenify just freezes the apps unless you run them yourself. It keeps the phone in deep sleep longer, which means less battery use.)

Cache cleaning? Cleaners work, but just look in Settings/General.Storage and you'll see how much cache is being used. 100MB? Don't worry about it. 3GB? Tap it and say yes to clear it. (I normally run about 25-75MB of cache being used [I just checked and had just under 2GB in use, so I cleared it. It won't cause a problem in a 32GB phone, but since I was there, and it was 1 tap ...]) You don't need apps running constantly to check it - they waste more than they save (so do most of the other types of apps Crash Damage mentioned).

Rock of the Marne, MLT. HOOAH

Thank you all very much! I think I really needed to hear that because I was a little concerned. So far it is a lovely tablet. I am coming from a Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet and I was going to wait for the Z4 to arrive in the US, but who knows when that will be. This one is not bad at all, though.

Do you have any experience with the Galaxy Tab S? Any tips or pointers?