Storage and Memory both are two important parts of your PC. They both store data and help the processor by providing them. But which is the difference between memory and storage? Which one is more important? A comparison between storage vs memory is described below.
What is Memory?
Memory or Primary Memory or Main Memory refers to the RAM of your PC. RAM is one of the most needed parts of a computer or a laptop or even any smart device i.e. Smart Phone or Tablet. RAM stores data temporarily and transfer them at a high speed to the processor if it needs that data.
RAM is called Main Memory because the processor can’t work without it. The processor can’t collect data directly from storage. RAM collects needed data from storage, stored them temporarily, and provide them to the processor when they need that. That’s why RAM acts as a link bridge between Processor and Storage.
In PC or Laptop, RAM is set on a fixed slot on the motherboard. There are several types of RAM, but you have to use which one is supported by your motherboard. RAM is fast but small in size as well as expensive compared to storage.
What is Storage?
The hard drive or Optical drive of your PC is called the Storage or Secondary Memory. CD-ROM and SD Card is also one kind of storage. It is also an important part of your PC. You can store any data permanently on the storage. When the processor needs any data or information, RAM collects them from the storage. Temporary files like cached data are also stored here.
Generally, Storage is slower than RAM but it is larger than Memory. A Storage (SSD or HDD) can be up to 2 TB or more. But Storage Data transfer rate is not as high as Memory. On the other hand, it is not that expensive like Memory. You can add storage whatever you like.
Difference between Storage and Memory in Computer
The main difference between storage vs memory is RAM is a volatile memory and Storage is a non-volatile memory. RAM stores data temporarily. When stored data is no more needed or you switched off your PC, RAM deletes all stored data. So it’s impossible to get back stored data on RAM if you shut down your PC.
On the other hand, storage is a non-volatile memory. It means it doesn’t need a continuous power supply to maintain stored data. That’s why it can store data and information permanently. You can use that data anytime you wish. Hard drive or optical drive stored data in some powerful disk but RAM is an integrated circuit.
RAM is comparatively costly per MB than storage. Because RAM is super fast than storage. On average, you have to pay around $4.37 per GB of RAM (2015) where it will cost $0.05 per GB of storage. Another fact is you can use the highest 32 GB or 64 GB of RAM in today’s PC. But we already have 2 TB storage.
How RAM affect the performance of your PC
Your PC’s work is done by the processor. And processor speed muchly depended on the RAM. So it is clear that RAM’s effect on your PC’s performance is big. Every application you open, everything uses RAM space. They store temporary data on the RAM which is needed by the processor. When the processor needs any information or data, it searches it in the RAM.
If your RAM is full, then no more application can be stored data in the RAM. So you can’t open a new application. So that your PC will be slower and the performance of your PC will be poor. So it can be said that RAM affects your PC’s performance greatly. You can upgrade RAM following these instructions that are written in another article.
How Storage affect the performance of your PC
Storage stored data and files permanently. You can use these files anytime you wish. When you open an application, the processor search that files in the RAM. Then RAM collects all the needed data from the storage. So storage slightly affects the performance of your PC. If your storage is old, RAM will find trouble to find the desired folder. Then it will lengthen the process.
Now there are two types of storage. HDD and SSD. SSD is faster than HDD. That’s why if you have an SSD, then you can open any big software easily at a high rate. But if you have an HDD, then it will take some more time than SSD. That’s how storage affects your PC performance.
Which one is more important?
Comparing storage vs memory, both are important for your PC. You can’t use your PC properly without your RAM. If you have no RAM you can run your PC. Because your PC started using RAM from the boot menu. Again if you have no storage, your PC can’t load OS because OS is stored in the storage. So your OS will not start.
But in comparison, proper RAM is more important than storage for PC’s performance. As an example, all application uses your RAM. If you have an old RAM which is less in size and slower in speed, then the processor will not be able to run all the applications at its full speed. Again less size and slower storage will not affect your PC performance. You will only face trouble to store many data. So RAM can be said more important hardware than storage.
Best RAM and Memory to use in Laptop
Before buying a laptop, one should check RAM and storage size and type. Because it is related to the laptop’s performance and it is hard to change after buying. In the case of the computer, you can change or upgrade anytime. It’s better to choose DD4 2133 MHz RAM and at least 8 GB in size. If you are a gamer or frequently used big software, then you should go for 16 GB of RAM.
SSD storage is the latest technology. This type of storage is faster and secure. For the professional users, SSD will be the best choice. You can buy a 500 GB SSD. But if you need to store more data and work with that, then you can buy 1 TB. In the case of storage, its type is more important than its size for PC’s performance. Again, You can go for SSHD which is the combination of SSD and HDD.
Summing up
Storage vs memory both are must needed elements for your PC. Though there is some difference between storage and memory and they have different work of their own. You should choose the best RAM and Memory to get better performance from your PC.
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