How Does RAM Works?

RAM Basics

An important computer-hardware component that can greatly influence the speed of a computer is random access memory, or RAM. RAM comes in integrated circuit chips, often called modules or sticks, which are plugged directly into a computer's motherboard. A RAM module consists of many tiny capacitors and transistors that work in pairs to store data as 0's or 1's, the binary code that computers use to operate. The RAM modules store the data that processor needs to access quickly in order to carry on applications and system processes. The more programs and processes that are going on at the same time, the higher the demands on the RAM will be.

Short-Term Memory Space

A computer's RAM is strictly meant to provide short term-memory space that can be accessed as quickly as possible. Since a computer hard drive contains so much data, which must be accessed by the spinning of a physical disk, accessing the data is much slower than using a data module with no moving parts. In this way, the RAM acts as an intermediary between the hard drive and the processor; the hard drive sends data to the RAM necessary for running a given application, and the processor accesses the data saved to the RAM to run the application. As soon as a certain process stops, the data saved the RAM associated with that process is dropped, freeing it up for use toward something else. This is, in part, why closing a few applications while multitasking will speed up other applications that remain open.

RAM Quantity and Speed

Upgrading the RAM installed in a computer is often considered the cheapest and easiest way to achieve faster computing speeds. The most common way to upgrade RAM is to increase the overall amount of RAM memory space. By increasing the amount of memory available, the processor can have quick access to more data at one time, allowing it run several processes quickly. Another way to upgrade RAM is to install RAM with a higher data-transfer frequency (usually listed in Megahertz, or MHz). The faster the RAM is able to transmit the data it stores to the processor, the faster the processor will be able to run those processes. Typically, installing 2 to 4 gigabytes of RAM, which operate at the highest frequency that a given motherboard will allow, will maximize the contribution RAM can make toward increasing computing speed.