differences between RAM and secondary storge

[gloomy arch]

guys i know there are many differences between these two but i dont understand one in particular which is the speed; RAM runs much faster than storage devices but i cant get the meaning of fast, i know RAM is used to store data temporarily and randomly while the computer is running, so it's faster because it stores data randomly in any memory cell?

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[lunar snow]

@gloomy arch ram vs secondary storage speeds are nanoseconds vs milliseconds

Obviously it depends on the ram and secondary storage, but overall it will be faster for several reasons

One reason you mentioned is the way random access works. The cpu can access random parts of memory at any time

With a hard disk you have physical parts moving to locate an exact memory location. With an ssd you dont have moving parts, and other things come into play

Such as how close physically to the cpu it is and the data transfer rates

Hope some of that helps @gloomy arch

[leaden plume]

When we talk about speed in the context of computer hardware, we're referring to how quickly data can be accessed or retrieved from a particular component.

RAM is a type of volatile memory used by a computer to store data temporarily while it's running. The key characteristic of RAM is its high-speed access times. It can read and write data much faster than storage devices like hard drives or solid-state drives. The "random access" part of its name means that it can access any location in memory in roughly the same amount of time, regardless of where the data is located. This is different from storage devices, where the access time depends on the physical location of the data on the storage medium.

In RAM, data can be quickly accessed and modified, making it ideal for storing the active working set of data and programs that the computer's CPU needs to access frequently and quickly. RAM is volatile, meaning it loses all its data when the computer is powered off. So, it's not suitable for permanent storage.

Storage devices, like hard drives and solid-state drives are used for long-term data storage. They are non-volatile, meaning they retain data even when the power is turned off. Unlike RAM, storage devices have slower access times because they rely on physical components to read and write data.

Hard drives store daga on spinning disks, and a read/write head needs to physically move to the location of the data. In SSDs data is stored on flash memory chips which are faster than traditional hard drives but still slower than RAM.

RAM is "faster" than storage devices it can access and retrieve data more quickly. This speed advantage is crucial for providing the computer with the rapid access it needs to keep up with the CPU's processing speed. However, RAM is not suitable for permanent storage because it is volatile and loses data when the power is turned off. For long-term storage, we use storage devices, even though they have slower access times compared to RAM.

[subtle verge]

nice chatgpt

[leaden plume]

Yep

[lunar snow]

Dont