If you are a tech geek, and working on a laptops, computer or a smartphone devices or a tech enthusiast, then this topic can be helpful for you.
What is RAM Memory?
RAM (Random Access Memory) is a piece of electronic hardware memory storage device, which is also known as primary memory or the main memory, where the information related to application programs, the operating system, and data currently in use are stored. This way the computer’s processor has the ability to reach them momentarily when needed.
However the price of the RAM is highly expensive as compared to secondary storage devices (HDDs, DVD and Pen drives).
RAM is head and shoulders above the other various types of storage inside a computer system. It’s even faster than floppy disk, hard disk, or CD-ROM. The information stored in RAM is only accessible for the length of time that a computer is being run.
Also Read : How to Increase VRAM Size Using The RAM?
How Does RAM Memory Work?
RAM operates similar to the human being’s short-term memory. Much like the human brain RAM is able to draw upon the computer’s long term memory for information. This is often necessary when short term memory becomes full. Most computers come equipped with at least 256 million RAM bytes plus the hard disk which has the capability of holding 40 billion bytes.
Data is located on a magnetized area that resembles a record. Computer printers also hold some small memory of RAM. Each byte of RAM has the ability to be ascertained separately without the other bytes being accessed.
Once the computer goes off, the information stored previously in the RAM will be lost. So for this reason RAM is also known as volatile memory. When the computer is turned on back, information from hard disk is retrieved to bring RAM back to the forefront again.
RAM comes in dual forms. DRAM which is Dynamic Random Access Memory and SRAM a Static Random Access Memory. DRAM is the most typical of the two types. DRAM requires refreshing at a rate reaching in the thousands each second. DRAM’s times for accessing information are 60 nanoseconds.
SRAM is more expensive, but operates more faster than DRAM. The interlocking of a capacitor and a transistor produces a memory cell. This is one bit of data. Also, SRAM allows access at times as quick as 10 nanoseconds.
What are the Types of RAM?
SRAM (Static RAM): This type of RAM stores a bit of data using the state of a six transistor memory cell. SRAM is more faster and expensive than DRAM.
DRAM (Dynamic RAM): This type of RAM stores a bit data using a pair of transistor and capacitor which make up DRAM memory cell.
Where is RAM Located?
The answer to this question depends on the specific model. In case of laptops, they have equipped with two slots having barcodes placed on them which are often stacked on top of another in constraint of space. While in some of the laptops, the RAM is embedded and cannot be replaced which may sound crazy. But in PC, The RAM is located on the motherboard with two slots which are often placed near the CPU.
Also, don’t mismatch the RAM with other peripheral cards. RAM sticks only have usually 4 or 8 chips per side and they are much like each other whereas other things tend to be different.
Ok, so we have discussed what is RAM memory, now let's have a look at what is ROM memory.
What is ROM Memory?
ROM (Read Only Memory) is also a electronic hardware memory storage device but bigger in size, which is used to store data permanently. Once the data is stored on these device, even the computer goes off, the data will not be lost and remains permanently until user deletes the data manually.
Example includes HDDs, Pen drive and DVDs which are also known as secondary storage devices.
Even though the size of these devices are higher than the RAM, the cost of these devices are lower as compared to the RAM.
What Are The Types of ROM?
Depending on the various functionalities there are different types of ROM which are mentioned below.
Mask ROM: In this is type of ROM, the data is written during the manufacturing of the memory chip.
PROM (Programmable Read-only Memory): This type of ROM for which the data is written after the memory chip has been created. It is non-volatile.
EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-only Memory): The data on this non-volatile memory chip can be erased by exposing it to high-intensity UV light.
EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-only Memory): The data on this non-volatile memory chip can be electrically erased using field electron emission (Fowler–Nordheim tunneling). Modern EEPROMs are quite efficient in terms of the read-write capabilities.
The above-mentioned types are semiconductor-based ROMs. The optical storage media like CD-ROM is also a form of read-only memory.
How RAM is Different From ROM?
So far we have come to know about what is RAM and ROM, now let's take a look about how RAM memory is different from the ROM memory.
1. RAM(random access memory) is meant for temporary storage memory for the operating system, programs and processes to use when the computer is running. where as ROM(read only memory) is used for permanent storage.
2. RAM chip is volatile, means once the power is turned off, it losses the previously holding information, where as ROM is non-volatile it doesn't losses any information even though power is turned off.
3. RAM chip is used in the normal operations of computer, where as ROM chip is used mainly for startup process of computer.
4. Writing the data on a RAM is more faster than ROM.
5. RAM is used for both read and write while ROM is used only for reading.
That's it!
I hope this post covered you some details about the RAM and the ROM which can be useful for any individual who are using computer or smartphone in today's life.
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