RAM

RAM (short for Random Access Memory) is one of the most important types of memory in a computer. While hard drive memory is quite cheap, memory capable of reading and writing at high speeds can be expensive. In order to keep computers running at optimum speeds, RAM is used to store data that a computer accesses frequently while slower hard drive memory is used for long-term storage.

RAM is the computer's short-term memory. Like humans, computers can only keep track of a finite amount of information at once. When presented with too many facts, the brain must set aside one fact in order to replace it with another. The same process occurs within the computer. Important files and processes are kept in RAM so they can be accessed quickly, thus allowing the computer to operate at high speeds. If the RAM is filled and another task is begun, information will need to be moved out of RAM and into deeper storage. This process slows a computer down considerably.

Increasing Computer Speeds By Adding RAM

In order to increase a computer's operating speed, more RAM is often necessary. The more a computer can keep in its short-term memory banks, the less frequently it will have to purge information out of those memory banks to make room for new information. Increasing the RAM increases the computer's ability to operate at high speeds.

There are many different types of RAM, but generally speaking RAM can be divided into two main categories. System RAM is the RAM used by the computer to store every type of data imaginable. It keeps key data available to the computer's microprocessor so the processor can operate at optimum speeds. The second type of RAM is Video RAM. Video RAM stores data necessary to keep a computer's display screen running quickly.