Memory and storage — Computing, 11–13
Computers use different places for information: one is quick and temporary, another keeps files when the power is off.
Two places for information
When you open a game, the computer copies the pieces it needs into working memory, often called RAM. RAM is quick, but it forgets when the power goes off; storage, such as an SSD, keeps photos and apps for later. Think of RAM as a desk and storage as a cupboard.
Why split them?
A computer needs information immediately while it works, but it must also keep information for tomorrow. One kind of memory cannot do both jobs cheaply: fast memory is expensive and temporary, while storage is slower but lasting. This division grew from the problem of making computers quick without losing your work every time you switched them off.
Opening a photo editor
Suppose an editor is 600 MB and your computer has 4 GB of storage free. First, the app is read from storage, so it remains there after closing. Next, the parts being used are placed in RAM; if the editor needs 1.2 GB, about 1.2 GB of working memory is occupied. Saving sends your changed photo back to storage.
“More storage makes it faster”
It is easy to mix them up because shops use the word “memory” for both, and both are measured in gigabytes. But adding storage gives files more room; it does not automatically give the computer more working space. If many apps are open and RAM is full, the computer may slow down even when the storage still has lots of free space.
Choosing a device
This distinction helps when you choose a phone, tablet or laptop. Storage matters if you keep many videos, games or photos; RAM matters when you switch between demanding apps. Cloud storage is still storage on someone else’s computers, while your device may keep a temporary copy in RAM while you view it.
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