• Question: what's the fundamental difference between a static RAM and a dynamic RAM?

    Asked by 999enec47 to Hilly, Lee, Liz, Tadhg, Yasmin on 15 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Yasmin Ali

      Yasmin Ali answered on 15 Jun 2015:

      Hello! I had to look this up as I didn’t have a clue what the answer was :). It seems like RAM is made up of capacitors and transistors.

      – Dynamic RAM: needs a single capacitor and transistor for each memory cell.
      – Static RAM: needs 6-8 transistors for each memory cell.
      – Static RAM is faster and more stable than dynamic RAM, but it needs more power and is more expensive.

    • Photo: David Hill

      David Hill answered on 15 Jun 2015:

      Yasmin hit the nail on the head there, I cant really argue with her answer!

      I’d always buy static… but that is because I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to computing… and its all about performance for me!

      Maybe you could be the future engineer working on static RAM that doesn’t require as much energy to operate – delivering it at a low cost? Or maybe you might be developing the material that will be used! These are the sort of things engineers are working on daily!

    • Photo: Lee Margetts

      Lee Margetts answered on 25 Jun 2015:

      Static RAM is the memory used in devices like washing machines, cash point machines and parking meters. It holds information needed to run the devices. You wouldnt want to dynamically add data about washing programs in a washing machine each time you use it. This is why the memory is static.

      DRAM is the memory in phones, tablets and pcs. It is volatile and wiped clean when the devices are switched off!

      I used to work in a factory building DRAM storage for tanks, helicopters, submarines and missiles!

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