Memory
Now for a change of pace, Memory is significantly different to CPU and GPU, and within this section, i will not only be going over what it is, uut also explaining its purpose, what RAM is, the capacity and also what types are available.
Purpose:
Memory within a computer is much like memory within our heads, its a location in which all the data is stored for the computer. This is essentially what the memory is, data storage which comes in the for of chips. The term memory is most often used as a shorthand for physical memory because of this, and every computer comes with a certain amount of it. The easiest way to picture this memory is an array of boxes, each able to hold a single byte of information. So the purpose of memory is to allow the computer to find data which it has stored, so that it may carry out the functions it needs too. There are various different types of data stores within the Memory chip, which i will explain below. |
RAM:
Standing for Random Access Memory, this is an incredibly useful and essential aspect to a computers memory to keep it running fast and efficient. What RAM is, is a temporary data storage device, which is where the computer calculates what files are frequently stored, and moves them to the RAM. By doing so, it means the computer can go straight to the RAM to access it, instead of having to search the whole hard drive for it. The reason it is only temporary is due to the fact that once the computer is shut down, all the data within it is erased or transferred to he hard drive. This is so there is room for new data when it is started up again. By doing this, it keeps the RAM fresh, as you will often find yourself using the computer for a lot of different activities, especially between uses. This means that if all the data stored within the RAM was kept permanently, what once made it fast, could eventually slow it down as you change what you regularly use, as is often the case. |
ROM
Above is a simple diagram of how the memory and physical storage interacts with the CPU. Within this diagram, you will also see ROM in the primary memory. ROM is different to RAM, as is stands for Read Only Memory. what this means is that unlike RAM which can be both read and written, ROM is a built in memory that cannot be changed. A good example of this would be a video game cartage. It will always have the same data on it, and is very difficult to alter. This also means that when the computer is turned off, because the ROM is not volatile like RAM, and does not require a constant electrical charge to work, the data within it is not removed upon turning off. The whole point of ROM is to store data which is primarily used when the computer is turning on, providing all the data for the initial start up process. As such it is not one of the most used aspects to the memory chip, but is still very important.
Above is a simple diagram of how the memory and physical storage interacts with the CPU. Within this diagram, you will also see ROM in the primary memory. ROM is different to RAM, as is stands for Read Only Memory. what this means is that unlike RAM which can be both read and written, ROM is a built in memory that cannot be changed. A good example of this would be a video game cartage. It will always have the same data on it, and is very difficult to alter. This also means that when the computer is turned off, because the ROM is not volatile like RAM, and does not require a constant electrical charge to work, the data within it is not removed upon turning off. The whole point of ROM is to store data which is primarily used when the computer is turning on, providing all the data for the initial start up process. As such it is not one of the most used aspects to the memory chip, but is still very important.
Capacity:
Memory capacity is the maximum or minimum amount of memory a computer may have, or the amount needed to run a specific program. For example, when downloading or shopping for a game, there will be a list of requirements which must be met for the computer to be able to run it, as computers have so many different aspects which can vary from each other, unlike games consoles. Below is an example of such a list, found when looking at the games "Portal 2" on Steam.
Memory capacity is the maximum or minimum amount of memory a computer may have, or the amount needed to run a specific program. For example, when downloading or shopping for a game, there will be a list of requirements which must be met for the computer to be able to run it, as computers have so many different aspects which can vary from each other, unlike games consoles. Below is an example of such a list, found when looking at the games "Portal 2" on Steam.
Within this list you can see it says "Memory: 2GB RAM". This is the capacity of RAM, which is measured in GB, of which is needed to play the game. Having more gig available in the RAM means its more suitable to play video games, another reason why memory is an important aspect to gaming computers. The capacity a memory chip can have is dependent on the amount of bits it has, as seen from this table to the right, found here: http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/63117/memory-capacity
The reason there is no maximum memory for the 64-bit processor is due to the fact that this hardware manipulated 8 bytes of data at a time, which results in a 64 bit register that can address 16 exabytes of memory. |
Bytes
Maximum Processed CPU Memory Simultaneously 8-bit 65KB 1 16-bit 1MB 2 32-bit 4GB 4 64-bit ** 8 |
Types:
There are three main types of memory which i shall cover now, and these are RDRAM, SRAM, and DRAM.
There are three main types of memory which i shall cover now, and these are RDRAM, SRAM, and DRAM.
RDRAM
Also known as Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory. This is a memory subsystem which promises to transfer up to 1.6 million bytes per second. Within this part of memory consists the bus path connecting the RAM to the microprocessor and the devices within the computer that use it. What this means is that it is there to transfer data at faster rates, as the direct links between systems allows it to do so, also known as pipe lining. |
DRAM
Dynamic Random Access Memory is one of the most commonly found memory modules, and its purpose is to store information in a cell containing a transistor and capacitor. This design means however that the cells must be refreshed with new electricity every few milliseconds, which then allows memory to keep its charge and hold the data. Like normal RAM, this is a very volatile memory. |
SRAM
The Static Random Access Memory is a type of memory that is faster and more reliable when compared to the more common DRAM. Unlike DRAM, this memory doesn't need to be refreshed, which means it is a lot more efficient, and is what gives it its name as "static". Furthermore, this means its cycle time is much shorter, as it doesn't need to pause between accesses. A downside to this type of memory however is that it costs a lot more than DRAM to produce, and is often used only as a memory cache because of it. |
Unified RAM
Also referred to as Uniform Memory Access, this is a shared memory architecture, and this means all processor in the UMA share physical memory. So in other words, memory can be simultaneously accessed by multiple programs with an objection to provide communication between them. This is a more efficient method of sharing data between programs, making the process quicker for the computer, and therefore easier for us to use.
Also referred to as Uniform Memory Access, this is a shared memory architecture, and this means all processor in the UMA share physical memory. So in other words, memory can be simultaneously accessed by multiple programs with an objection to provide communication between them. This is a more efficient method of sharing data between programs, making the process quicker for the computer, and therefore easier for us to use.