Changes

RAM chips come in seeral different sizes and shapes. Probably the most commonly used today are DIMM (seen to the right) and the more compact [[SODIMM]] chips.

RAM chips come in seeral different sizes and shapes. Probably the most commonly used today are DIMM (seen to the right) and the more compact [[SODIMM]] chips.

==Memory usage==

==Memory usage==

In a typical computer, there are three basic kinds of memory. The first and fastest memory storage is offered by the registers.  These are integrated into the CPU, and their information can be retrieved and updated incredibly quickly. The second kind is the RAM, which is also very fast, but slower than accessing the registers. Although the signals must travel across the motherboard to and from the CPU, the RAM is generally installed right near the CPU to expedite the process. After this comes the main memory, in the form of a hard drive or solid-state drive. This is an efficient form of memory which can contain all of the device's needed information, at a relatively low cost.  In addition to these, external media can be used to offer further data storage.<br />

In a typical computer, there are three basic kinds of memory. The first and fastest memory storage is offered by the registers.  These are integrated into the [[CPU]], and their information can be retrieved and updated incredibly quickly. The second kind is the RAM, which is also very fast, but slower than accessing the registers. Although the signals must travel across the motherboard to and from the CPU, the RAM is generally installed right near the CPU to expedite the process. After this comes the main memory, in the form of a hard drive or solid-state drive. This is an efficient form of memory which can contain all of the device's needed information, at a relatively low cost.  In addition to these, external media can be used to offer further data storage.<br />

The processor stores information it expects to need soon in the registers, and offloads the rest to the RAM.  When data is needed which is not in the registers, it reaches out to the RAM to retrieve it.  This does entail a short delay (in milliseconds) meaning that the processor must either stall (cease all work) or switch to a different task while it waits. If needed data is also unavailable in the RAM, then it must be pulled from the main memory.  This is a particularly slow process with hard drives, since the platters must bring the needed data to the read head.  Solid-state memory performs this task more quickly, since there is no such wait time.  If the computer begins running out of RAM, it will also either wipe data it may need later but not at the moment, or offload vital data into a cache on the main drive; both of these options further reduce efficiency.  

The processor stores information it expects to need soon in the registers, and offloads the rest to the RAM.  When data is needed which is not in the registers, it reaches out to the RAM to retrieve it.  This does entail a short delay (in milliseconds) meaning that the processor must either stall (cease all work) or switch to a different task while it waits. If needed data is also unavailable in the RAM, then it must be pulled from the main memory.  This is a particularly slow process with hard drives, since the platters must bring the needed data to the read head.  Solid-state memory performs this task more quickly, since there is no such wait time.  If the computer begins running out of RAM, it will also either wipe data it may need later but not at the moment, or offload vital data into a cache on the main drive; both of these options further reduce efficiency.

==References==

==References==