Computer Memory vs Storage: A Breakdown

Computers are an integral part of the modern world. The number of people worldwide using the internet proves this. This percentage has exploded exponentially in recent years.

If you don’t know anything about computers, you are handicapping yourself in both the job market and in your general understanding of the world.

One crucial part of understanding computers is learning the difference between computer memory vs storage.

The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they are two very different things. Learn more by reading on.

What Is Computer Memory?

Think of computer memory or RAM (random access memory) as your computer’s active thought process, or internal monologue. RAM is only active while your computer is online and processing different functions.

When you open up your internet browser, your computer uses RAM to process this action. When you add numbers on your computer’s calculator program, you are using RAM.

Everything that your computer does while it is active uses memory. When your computer shuts off, your RAM is empty until you turn it on again.

Once you turn your computer back on, your computer will use its memory to power your applications and functions once more but it does not store them there.

What Is Computer Storage?

Storage is where your computer houses files and information for the long haul. Picture this as the back of your computer’s mind. 95% of its brain contains stored information that it is not actively using.

Storage for most computers is on a hard drive. Storage is permanent—you can unplug a hard drive from a computer and the data will stay there forever. This is an external hard drive.

The data will remain untouched unless it gets corrupted from a virus, deleted by the user, or the hard drive itself sustains damage.

When you plug the hard drive back into a computer, the computer will use its RAM to pull files from the hard drive and run them at your command.

Most computers also have an internal hard drive. This is where all of the data, files, and applications a computer has, is stored. Without one, your computer would not be able to save files or information.

Computer Memory vs Storage

Computer’s pull information stored on their hard drive (storage) and run it on their RAM (memory). Once the information is pulled from storage and onto RAM the user can edit it.

When the user finishes editing, a new copy of the information is made. It is then stored back on the hard drive. In this way, nothing changes on the original hard drive’s information. New versions of the same info are saved instead.

This is the way that computer memory and storage interact in most computers. The more RAM your computer has, the faster its performance.

If you are looking for a solution to increase your computer’s performance and storage options, you should check out Turbonomic. You can use this program to enhance the way your computer’s storage and memory interact.

Now You Know

At first, the relationship between computer memory vs storage may have seemed confusing. This easy explanation should have broken it down into more clear terms for you.

Now that you know the difference between memory and storage, you should do some research to see how you can improve your computer’s performance. Keep checking in with our site for other informative articles.