RAM Explained! 

What is RAM? How does RAM work? And why is it so important that we have this in our computers? Often times when I’m trying to explain how RAM works, I’ve found that it’s called something different by different people. Personally, I use the word “RAM”, while I’ve also heard another popular form as “Memory”, or “Memory Sticks”. While I see where the word “Memory” comes from (granted RAM stands for “Random Access Memory”), it’s also a subject that isn’t well understood. Understanding RAM comes from thorough studying into some very complicated technology. What is RAM exactly? Let's take a look at how RAM works in computer.

Random Access Memory

RAM is essentially a super fast, high speed storage that your computer and its applications utilize to store and access temporary data. It can be thought of like a computer's short term memory. It works by storing common data that programs are in constant use of, rather than storing the data on a much slower medium like a Solid State Hard Drive (or SSD). RAM doesn’t automatically have data saved on each chip though. It has what's called volatile memory, or memory that erases when power is no longer flowing through it. But, programs like Google Chrome, Adobe Photoshop, and even Windows utilize RAM by inputting its core files upon start up.

Different Types of RAM

As time went on, we’ve grown to understand ways to compute faster. Over the years, RAM speeds and capacity have increased so much that the only way we were able to accommodate for these speeds was to build different motherboards. Essentially, our way of computing has certainly changed, but almost every user wouldn’t have notice anything different.

At the time of this article, the most modern kind of of RAM is DDR4, which proceeded DDR3. DDR3 proceeded DDR2, DDR2 to DDR, and DDR to SDRAM -- each iteration being faster and more capable of a higher capacity of random access storage.

Speed (in Megahertz)

Speed sort of works in tandem with type. As older types of RAM are only made to go up to a certain speed. Although to pull data from RAM is miles faster than to pull data from a hard drive, each type of RAM still has certain “speed limits”, which is measured in megahertz (Mhz). This speed allows data to move in and out even faster. Some motherboards even have technical limitations to what kind of RAM speed it can handle. This can be for a number of reasons like to prevent overheating, or simply put the motherboards firmware doesn’t support it.

But, Let’s take for example why knowing this is important. If you purchase an 1833mhz stick of RAM for your computer but motherboard specifications says it can only accept 1333mhz RAM or lower, it will throttle to 1333mhz. Essentially, it is slowing down the stick to match the motherboard’s imposed speed limit. This can also happen with mixing high speed RAM with low speed RAM. Your system needs uniformity, so it will throttle your faster stick to meet this need.

Another thing to note is that there generally isn’t fast RAM with an old DDR type. Most 3000mhz RAM is only available in DDR4, and there really isn't 1333mhz DDR4 RAM either.

Here is a chart to show you what common speeds are found on what type.

DDR3 Common Speeds
1066mhz
1300 mhz
1600 mhz
1866 mhz

DDR4 Common Speeds
2133mhz
2400 mhz
2666mhz
3200mhz

There are some DDR3 sticks that go into DDR4 speeds as well as DDR4 sticks that go into DDR3 speeds, but most of the time the cost doesn’t merit the gain.

I hope you understood the explanation i gave. If u like it share this.
Have a nice day