What Is RAM?
Computers of all types have saturated the American market for decades, many with a confusing array of numbers associated with them. Processor speeds, hard drive sizes, and the memory associated with a computer all have names and numbers that affect its performance, the most important and flexible of which is the RAM. Understanding what RAM is and what it does for a computer is key to understanding how powerful a computer is.
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Function
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RAM is an acronym for random access memory. It is this memory that allows your computer to run programs and continue operations in a relatively quick manner. RAM is used by the central processing unit (CPU) to store information and calculations that can be easily retrieved, like having books and notes open on a desk in front of a researcher. Conclusions and answers to problems are easily at hand. The more ready answers at hand, the faster the researcher can give an answer. RAM size increases this "desk space" for the CPU.
Features
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RAM is usually mounted on special circuit boards called memory sticks, or just "memory." These can be inserted into a computer's motherboard (the circuit board that all other devices within the computer are attached to) in specially designated slots. This memory is then used by the computer to perform its necessary functions. Without it, or with an incorrect type of memory, the computer will not operate. All computers, whether laptop or desktop, have slots to exchange old memory for new memory (unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer), which allows the user to increase performance relatively cheaply.
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Types
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There are several types of RAM, each with its own particular way of processing information. One of the most common is so-called SDRAM: synchronous dynamic random access memory. This memory comes in standard sizes, such as 500MB, which stands for 500 megabytes (500 million bytes). It is also followed by another number, which is the speed at which it processes information, usually measured in megahertz (MHz or 1 million cycles every second). This number is used to match the speed of the RAM with the processing, or "clock," speed of the CPU. See Additional Resources, below, for more information.
Identification
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In recent years, RAM has also been fitted onto other hardware within a computer. For example, graphics cards are also equipped with RAM. The graphics card uses this memory to speed graphics computing power without relying on the computer's RAM. This RAM is generally hardwired into the video card and cannot be upgraded independently. Therefore, in order to upgrade these cards, it is necessary to purchase an entirely new card with larger memory capacity.
Considerations
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Though RAM is intended to allow the user to upgrade their computer with relative ease, anyone attempting to do so should consult with their owner's manual or call their computer manufacturer's help line. These sources will reveal the type of RAM needed and any limitations on the expansion capacity. For example, if a laptop computer is rated to expand to 2GB (gigabytes, or 2 trillion bytes of information) and a user places a 4-GB memory into the computer, the computer will not boot up or may even become damaged. Recent developments in microprocessor technology have decreased the price of RAM steadily, making it cheaper to upgrade a computer and thus extend its usefulness.
Misconceptions
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RAM is sometimes confused with the designation ROM, which stands for read only memory. ROM is usually a set piece of programming that cannot be changed (thus it is "read only") that allows a computer to start up ("boot") or to run a program. CDs and DVDs are an example of ROM and will not enhance the computing power of the computer.
Hard drives are much slower than RAM and are used to store information for the computer in a long-term manner (such as books on a shelf in a library). Hard drives have huge capacities for storing that can be measured in GB and even TB (terabytes, or 1 trillion bytes) and can be confused for RAM. The difference is that this kind of memory is much larger than typical RAM and is stored on magnetic disks that are stored inside the hard drive's case. Computers sometimes use this extra space, however, in a process called "virtual RAM," which turns unused space into more computational power for the computer's operation, similar to adding a second table near the hypothetical researcher. If a computer's hard drive is too full (reaching or at capacity), this may affect the computer's ability to process programs and function properly.
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