{"id":24478,"date":"2024-01-05T15:29:59","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T14:29:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=24478"},"modified":"2024-01-12T15:31:21","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T14:31:21","slug":"difference-ram-rom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/difference-ram-rom\/","title":{"rendered":"What's the Difference Between RAM and ROM?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Ever asked yourself \u2018what\u2019s the difference between RAM and ROM\u2019?<\/strong> If you\u2019ve seen both acronyms in action, it\u2019s a natural question to ask, especially if you can deduce that both of those \u201cM\u201ds mean \u201cMemory\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s take a moment to talk about PC memory, then break down all you need to know about the difference between RAM and ROM!<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684443390f20\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684443390f20\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684443390f20\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/difference-ram-rom\/#A_Brief_on_Memory_in_PC_Hardware\" title=\"A Brief on Memory in PC Hardware\">A Brief on Memory in PC Hardware<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/difference-ram-rom\/#Whats_The_Difference_Between_RAM_and_ROM\" title=\"What\u2019s The Difference Between RAM and ROM?\">What\u2019s The Difference Between RAM and ROM?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/difference-ram-rom\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/difference-ram-rom\/#What_Devices_Use_ROM_Chips\" title=\"What Devices Use ROM Chips?\">What Devices Use ROM Chips?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/difference-ram-rom\/#What_Are_ROM_Files\" title=\"What Are ROM Files?\">What Are ROM Files?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/difference-ram-rom\/#Is_ROM_Better_Than_RAM\" title=\"Is ROM Better Than RAM?\">Is ROM Better Than RAM?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/difference-ram-rom\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Brief_on_Memory_in_PC_Hardware\"><\/span>A Brief on Memory in PC Hardware<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before we sink our teeth into the main question, <strong>I want to take just a moment to talk about \u201cmemory\u201d and how that word is used in PC hardware<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>First, all forms of \u201cmemory\u201d fall into \u201cvolatile\u201d, \u201csemi-volatile\u201d, and \u201cnon-volatile\u201d categories<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>These all refer to whether or not power is needed for that memory to store information, with volatile referring to memory that only works when powered and non-volatile referring to memory that keeps information even when powered off.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_The_Difference_Between_RAM_and_ROM\"><\/span>What\u2019s The Difference Between RAM and ROM?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24480\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM.jpg\" alt=\"RAM vs ROM\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24480 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"RAM vs ROM\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/RAM-vs-ROM.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>RAM<\/strong> stands for <strong>R<\/strong>andom <strong>A<\/strong>ccess <strong>M<\/strong>emory, and refers to the volatile memory inside of your PC that is used for managing real-time tasks.<\/p>\n<p>RAM is naturally cleared whenever your PC is powered off, and does not store any system information between PC restarts. It will be written to and read from nonstop as long as your PC is in active use.<\/p>\n<p><strong>ROM<\/strong> stands for <strong>R<\/strong>ead-<strong>O<\/strong>nly <strong>M<\/strong>emory, and refers to non-volatile memory used by a variety of components.<\/p>\n<p>Non-volatile memory keeps its information when powered off, and that \u201cRead-Only\u201d means exactly what you think it does: ROM memory cannot be written to, <strong>only<\/strong> read <em>from<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So, that\u2019s the difference\u2014 and it\u2019s a pretty major one, too.<\/strong> RAM\u2019s utility in your PC likely needs less explanation, since it\u2019s generally understood that more RAM is better.<\/p>\n<p>No one has <em>ever<\/em> said \u201cmore ROM is better\u201d, though, so we should spend some time in the follow-up sections elaborating on how ROM memory is actually used in PC hardware.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Devices_Use_ROM_Chips\"><\/span>What Devices Use ROM Chips?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>A wide variety of devices use ROM chips, including (most likely) the one you\u2019re reading this article on right now<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, a known method of resetting a motherboard\u2019s BIOS is by removing the CMOS battery. This clears all existing settings and uses the motherboard\u2019s existing ROM chip to restore the original BIOS settings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Even RAM uses ROM!<\/strong> Specifically, <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/xmp-eocp-docp\/\"><strong>XMP profiles and the such<\/strong><\/a> are kept on small ROM chips built into your RAM that provide its XMP information to your motherboard.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24481\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP.jpg\" alt=\"What is XMP\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24481 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"What is XMP\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/11\/What-is-XMP.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_ROM_Files\"><\/span>What Are ROM Files?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>\u201cROM files\u201d typically refer to backup copies of retro video games, and are also called \u201cROMs\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Technically the same meaning applies here, but \u201cROM files\u201d in a gaming context refers to a cartridge game\u2019s extracted data.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes they come in a .rom file, but other file containers can be common, too. Newer disc-based game backups are also called ROMs sometimes, though technically these are usually ISOs (disc images).<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_ROM_Better_Than_RAM\"><\/span>Is ROM Better Than RAM?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>As popular as this question is, it\u2019s hard to give it a straight answer because ROM and RAM are simply made for completely different tasks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>ROM is <em>not<\/em> better than RAM in any way that impacts the user experience, though, since RAM is integral to there being a user experience to enjoy at all.<\/p>\n<p>ROM is in frequent use but works best when you simply aren\u2019t aware of its presence at all since you can\u2019t actually do anything to modify it.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>And that\u2019s all!<\/p>\n<p><strong>I hope this article helped clarify the difference between RAM and ROM for you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>As it turns out, RAM isn\u2019t the only kind of memory that exists in PC hardware, and somehow not even the only kind of memory used on a RAM stick. Hardware is funny like that, sometimes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Any other questions about RAM, ROM, or PC hardware?<\/strong> Please ask them in the <a href=\"#comments\">comments<\/a> below, as I\u2019ll be happy to help you.<\/p>\n<p>Alternatively, you can try your hand with long-form discussions in the G100 <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\"><strong>Forum<\/strong><\/a>, where you can interact with the rest of the Team and our Community of Experts and Enthusiasts.<\/p>\n<p>Until then or until next time, happy computing!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ever asked yourself \u2018what\u2019s the difference between RAM and ROM\u2019? If you\u2019ve seen both acronyms in action, it\u2019s a natural question to ask, especially if you can deduce that both of those \u201cM\u201ds mean \u201cMemory\u201d. Let\u2019s take a moment to talk about PC memory, then break down all you need to know about the difference...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2339,"featured_media":24479,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[74],"tags":[120,337],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24478"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2339"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24478"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24478\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24483,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24478\/revisions\/24483"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}