How is the system RAM holding up?

[jpopdallas]

When I played with the s6 at Best Buy I looked at the smart manager and about 60 % of the 3 GB RAM was in use.
Those with units in hand please respond on how much your unit is using at the moment and maybe someone can see how low can you go.

 

[Almeuit]

Not bad. This is the first time I've looked at it to be honest. I let Android handle the RAM.

Empty RAM is wasted RAM .

 

[Crashdamage]

Install this small, simple app:

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...re/apps/details?id=sa.ramtruth&token=mF6d1IxA

The Truth, simply.


Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

 

[jpopdallas]

Wile I agree with you about the empty ram it seems to me that when you first get the phone the RAM should be relatively empty. When it is this full this means less of the apps you want to run will be able to run. Is no one else concerned about this. Or am I worried about it for no reason. When RAM starts to get full the phone starts to lag.

 

[Almeuit]

Wile I agree with you about the empty ram it seems to me that when you first get the phone the RAM should be relatively empty. When it is this full this means less of the apps you want to run will be able to run. Is no one else concerned about this. Or am I worried about it for no reason. When RAM starts to get full the phone starts to lag.

Not necessarily. If it needs more RAM for your apps it simply kills off other apps. PCs have done this for a long time and Android is the same. It will clear older stuff when newer stuff is needed. It just caches stuff into RAM for quick loads.

 

[warpdrive]

Wile I agree with you about the empty ram it seems to me that when you first get the phone the RAM should be relatively empty. When it is this full this means less of the apps you want to run will be able to run. Is no one else concerned about this. Or am I worried about it for no reason. When RAM starts to get full the phone starts to lag.

That is not how Android works.

simply, if more ram is needed then some apps get bumped and the new app takes over. This is not winblows.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[jpopdallas]

The system is taking almost half of the RAM. Although my HTC one is clearly not as advanced as the S6 its only using
389 MB of RAM. Like I said I'm might be worried for no reason but I do know that when RAM fills up its slow down city.

 

[jpopdallas]

I hear ya probably nothing to worry about. Thanks for your comments.

 

[Almeuit]

I hear ya probably nothing to worry about. Thanks for your comments.

If you're worried read this... It is old but Jerry explains it well.

http://www.androidcentral.com/ram-what-it-how-its-used-and-why-you-shouldnt-care

 

[jpopdallas]

Thanks.

 

[Erm10]

I dunno, man. Every time my s3 has slowed down over the years ( too many hundreds of times to count) it's because the RAM has nearly filled up. Once I clear it goes back to running normal.

 

[jpopdallas]

Great read. Thanks again Almeuit.

 

[independentvolume]

If you're worried read this... It is old but Jerry explains it well.

http://www.androidcentral.com/ram-what-it-how-its-used-and-why-you-shouldnt-care

This is true, but if the system itself is pulling down over 1.5gb of ram that's some unoptimized developing going on.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[independentvolume]

Not bad. This is the first time I've looked at it to be honest. I let Android handle the RAM.

Empty RAM is wasted RAM .

Just checked my g3 and it looks almost identical except I have 1.2gb free. Pretty close though. This is running lollipop as well. Does the s6 cone with 5.1?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Almeuit]

Just checked my g3 and it looks almost identical except I have 1.2gb free. Pretty close though. This is running lollipop as well. Does the s6 cone with 5.1?

Posted via the Android Central App

Sadly no

 

[syspry]

A lot of the answers in this thread are out of date (no offense guys). More recent info says that the garbage collection used by ART works better to keep android devices running smoothly when the hardware has a lot of RAM. Considering this phone has 3gb of it, you're good to go. But these outdated references to "unused RAM is wasted RAM" are wrong when you're dealing with lower specced phones in light of more current information on the subject. This also explains why some of you are confused that your own observations on your older devices don't match what you're being wrongfully told.
Other mobile operating systems don't use a java based garbage collection, which is why you see android devices packing on the high RAM for performance.

 

[DLK1]

Not necessarily. If it needs more RAM for your apps it simply kills off other apps. PCs have done this for a long time and Android is the same. It will clear older stuff when newer stuff is needed. It just caches stuff into RAM for quick loads.

Well said, and correct.

 

[syspry]

This article does a great job of explaining the relationship between java coded android apps and garbage collection and the effect it has on performance. Some informative comments from programmers as well
http://www.cultofmac.com/303223/ios-twice-memory-efficient-android-heres/
As you'll see, the automatic cleanup being spoken of in this thread isn't everything to consider and isn't as efficient as is being stated.

That's not even mentioning the 5.0.1 memory leak bug that's still yet to be publicly patched

 

[syspry]

Well isn't that interesting. I tried to post a link to an article written by programmers with the most recent information about how ART and RAM work together for you guys and it magically disappeared. Must've been forum gremlins, sorry folks not my doing.
I recommend Quora and XDA if you'd like to investigate freely since I'm not going to repeat myself

 

[Crashdamage]

@syspry:
I get what you're saying, I just don't agree with some of it. We are not being told wrong by the RAM mantra.

Given that ART is better than Dalvik partly due to improved garbage collection, ok. But ART is also why the old 'unused RAM is wasted RAM' mantra may be more true than ever.

Since ART is more efficient at RAM management, occupied RAM can be cleared and reloaded as needed better than with Dalvik. That means ART enables lower-spec (and so lower cost) devices to run higher-spec software than Dalvik allowed.

But...to get back to the old RAM mantra...running more advanced software puts a premium on maximizing usage of limited RAM. So, more than ever, on the new generation of low-cost devices like Android Ones - Unused RAM is Wasted RAM. That RAM is needed, use it!

And if all that's true for low-spec hardware, well it still true for high-spec stuff. Load up that 3GB of RAM (up to a point anyway). If needed it can be cleared, but better to use it for cache to launch apps faster or whatever than leave it mostly empty.

You're correct about confusion among users who say they see an improvement after clearing RAM manually. No doubt it does work for some, probably a placebo effect for others. Those seeing actual improvement, what they are actually seeing is the limitations of the old Dalvik system or more likely poorly coded apps failing to properly release memory when polled by the system.

You are also correct that 'other mobile operating systems' (spelled iOS) get along very well on less RAM partly because of no java based feet stuck in the mud.

But again, that's a reason why in Android unused RAM is wasted RAM. That RAM is needed, use it!

And don't forget, unused RAM is wasted RAM is an old UNIX/Linux saying. There's no java-based stuff in there, but the saying was true then and still is.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.