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Oppo's latest software update lets users 'download more RAM' for its mid-range smartphones

By Liu Hongzuo - on 28 May 2021, 12:44pm

Oppo's latest software update lets users 'download more RAM' for its mid-range smartphones

Oppo Reno5 Z.

Ever wished you could expand the RAM on your smartphone? Today, Oppo introduced its new Memory Expansion Technology and RAM Expansion software, allowing users to temporarily convert a small portion of their smartphones' read-only memory (ROM) into virtual random access memory (RAM).

“The launch of the new Memory Expansion Technology will elevate the user-centric experience for OPPO users. The introduction of this innovative technology will grant users the ability to customise the performance of their smartphones to adapt to their lifestyle requirements and needs,” said Dylan Yu, Marketing Director, OPPO Singapore.

Memory Expansion Technology and RAM Expansion are available to smartphones from the Oppo Reno5 series (up to 7GB RAM) and the Oppo A94 and A74 series phones (up to 5GB RAM). When the option is enabled, the selected storage amount will be converted into virtual RAM after the phone restarts. The added virtual RAM may help with more RAM-intensive app use at the cost of storage space.

The feature can be found under the "About Phone" section inside the Settings app after the appropriate software update, and the amount of virtual RAM added can be selected. Once done, simply restart the phone, and it should be a little more capable at handling intense apps, like gaming, photo or video editing, and more.

 

Omg, why wasn't this available before?!

Before we go on - here are some caveats when it comes to something as fantastic-sounding as 'downloading' more RAM:

While it's technically possible to do so on Android, converting internal storage (ROM) into virtual RAM comes at a cost. Doing so has a chance of shortening the longevity of your smartphone's storage medium because of frequent writing causing wear on the ROM.

Also, third-party programmes or apps that claim to be able to do so would typically request root access to the smartphone, so be extremely careful if you come across any similar technologies claiming as such. In this case, Memory Expansion Technology and RAM Expansion is an official Oppo software product for select devices the brand makes, so it's less risky than third-party actors having root access to your device.

Finally, your mileage may vary, as converted virtual RAM would be nowhere nearly as fast as actual RAM.

 

Availability Timeline

Memory Expansion Technology and RAM Expansion are available for downloading and installation on the following Oppo smartphones at the specified timelines below:

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