RAM Differences Q: I need to put more memory into my computer. What are the different types of RAM? A: As faster and more capable computers evolve, so does the RAM that acts to enhance their capabilities. You will see terms such as SDRAM, SLDRAM, EDRAM, VRAM, and EPROM all thrown about by techies and non-techies alike. Most of these many acronyms are either names for faster memory types and prototypes or specific to hardware such as Video RAM (VRAM). Manufacturers put the best kind of memory available to them on computers, printers, and so on. If you choose to upgrade or add RAM, you will need to find out what kind of RAM you already have and what is compatible with your hardware. Static RAM doesn't lose its contents but holds them from point to point. This type is not very common in personal computers. It's more commonly found in handheld devices. Electronically Programmable RAM holds its contents almost forever, but can be programmed by software. EEPROM is electrically erasable and programmable, and PROM is erased by shining a light into the top of the RAM. RAM is your PC's workspace. Your CPU takes data off a drive, typically the hard drive, and temporarily stores it in RAM. RAM stands for Random Access Memory because it can be accessed randomly. In other words, any byte of memory can be accessed without touching the preceding bytes. Dynamic RAM (DRAM) is the most common type of RAM. It accesses information as it needs it, then closes and goes on to something else. Becaause it's random, pieces of information can be stacked one upon another, without discarding the entire stack. Picture a deck of cards, where cards can be added to the top, bottom, or inserted in the middle. Cards can also be withdrawn from any of these areas as well, either to be removed from the deck, or just shuffled to another part. The information in DRAM is not only Dynamic and Randomly accessed, it is also fast. Today's processors handle information so fast that they require a steady flow of information to optimize their capabilities. While hard drives offer plenty of storage space at a low cost per megabyte, their rotating parts and small buffering systems are too slow to keep up with the processor's need for input. Because DRAM is solid state (with no moving parts), it can send data as fast as the processor can keep up with it. RAM is fast but also volatile. It has no way of holding onto the data it stores. We pull information from our slow-but-stable hard drives into memory, which then handles it at speeds fast enough for the processor to work with it. The amount of RAM you have definitely impacts your performance. Consider the analogy of a basic workspace, such as a drawing board. More memory lets you create a larger drawing table to work on. This means that you can lay out more of your project at one time, and work on it all at once. In addition, you can have more tools, such as markers, brushes, straight edges, and pencils at your elbow. If your table is smaller, you may have to go over to the counter when you need a specific tool, or file some pages away before you get any more. This process of putting away and getting out is very slow. If your space is extremely small, you may find that tools and artwork are just too close together and that your space is cluttered. When this happens, you slow things down even more, and run the risk of spilling, tearing, or smudging the work. Kate Botello ZDTV Call for Help |
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