RAM and ROM both are the internal memories of the computer. Where RAM is a temporary memory, ROM is a permanent memory of the computer. There are many differences between RAM and ROM, but the basic difference is that RAM is a read-write memory and the ROM is a read only memory. I have discussed some differences between RAM and ROM with the help of comparison chart shown below.
Content: RAM Vs ROM
|Basis for Comparison||RAM||ROM|
|Basic||It is a read-write memory.||It is read only memory.|
|Use||Used to store the data that has to be currently processed by CPU temporarily.||It stores the instructions required during bootstrap of the computer.|
|Volatility||It is a volatile memory.||It is a nonvolatile memory.|
|Stands for||Random Access Memory.||Read Only Memory.|
|Modification||Data in ROM can be modified.||Data in ROM can not be modified.|
|Capacity||RAM sizes from 64 MB to 4GB.||ROM is comparatively smaller than RAM.|
|Cost||RAM is a costlier memory.||ROM is comparatively cheaper than RAM.|
|Type||Types of RAM are static RAM and dynamic RAM.||Types of ROM are PROM, EPROM, EEPROM.|
Definition of RAM
RAM is a Random access memory; it means the CPU can directly access any address location of RAM memory. RAM is a quickly accessible memory of the computer. It stores the data temporarily.
RAM is a volatile memory. RAM stores the data till the power is switched on. Once the power of the CPU is switched off the whole data in RAM gets erased. The data which has to be currently processed must be in RAM. The storage capacity of the RAM ranges from 64 MB to 4 GB.
RAM is the fastest and costliest memory of the computer. It is a read-write memory of the computer. The processor can read the instructions from RAM and write the result to the RAM. The data in RAM can be modified.
There are two kinds of RAM, Static RAM and Dynamic RAM. Static RAM is one which requires the constant flow of the power to retain the data inside it. It is faster and more expensive than DRAM. It is used as a cache memory for the computer. Dynamic RAM needs to be refreshed to retain the data it holds. It is slower and cheaper than static RAM.
Definition of ROM
ROM is a Read Only Memory. The data in ROM can only be read by CPU but, it can not be modified. The CPU can not directly access the ROM memory, the data has to be first transferred to the RAM, and then the CPU can access that data from the RAM.
ROM stores the instruction that computer requires during Bootstraping (a process of booting up of the computer). The content in ROM can not be modified. ROM is a non-volatile memory, the data inside the ROM retains even if the power of the CPU is switched off.
The capacity of ROM is comparatively smaller than RAM, it slower and cheaper than RAM. There many kinds of ROM that are as follow:
PROM: Programmable ROM, it can be modified only once by the user.
EPROM: Erasable and Programable ROM, the content of this ROM can be erased using ultraviolet rays and the ROm can be reprogrammed.
EEPROM: Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM, it can be erased electrically and reprogrammed about ten thousand times.
Key Differences Between RAM and ROM Memory
- The key difference between RAM and ROM is that RAM is basically a read-write memory whereas, ROM is a read only memory.
- RAM temporarily stores the data that have to be processed by CPU currently. On the other hands, ROM stores the instructions that are required during Bootstrap.
- RAM is a volatile memory. However, ROM is a nonvolatile memory.
- RAM stands for Random Access Memory whereas, ROM stands for Read Only Memory.
- On the one hand, where the data in RAM can be modified easily, the data in ROM can be hardly or never be modified.
- The RAM can range from 64 MB to 4 GB whereas, the ROM is always comparatively smaller than RAM.
- RAM is costlier than ROM.
- RAM can be classified into static and Dynamic RAM. On the other hands, ROM can be classified into PROM, EPROM and EEPROM.
RAM and ROM both are the necessary memory for the computer. ROM is a necessary for a computer to boot up. RAM is important for CPU processing.