Volatile memory

Computer memory types
Volatile
RAM
DRAM (e.g., DDR SDRAM) SRAM
In development
T-RAM Z-RAM
Historical
Williams–Kilburn tube (1946–47) Delay line memory (1947) Selectron tube (1953) Dekatron
Non-volatile
ROM
Mask ROM PROM EPROM EEPROM
NVRAM
Flash memory Solid-state storage
Early stage NVRAM
nvSRAM FeRAM MRAM PRAM
Mechanical
Magnetic tape Hard disk drive Optical disc drive
In development
3D XPoint CBRAM SONOS RRAM Racetrack memory NRAM Millipede memory FJG RAM
Historical
Paper data storage (1725) Drum memory (1932) Magnetic-core memory (1949) Plated wire memory (1957) Core rope memory (1960s) Thin-film memory (1962) Twistor memory (~1968) Bubble memory (~1970)

Volatile memory, contrary to non-volatile memory, is computer memory that requires power to maintain the stored information; it retains its contents while powered on but when the power is interrupted the stored data is lost very rapidly or immediately.

Volatile memory has several uses, for example as main memory. In addition to usually being faster than forms of mass storage such as a hard disk drive, volatility can protect sensitive information as it becomes unavailable on power-down. Most of the general-purpose random-access memory (RAM) is volatile.^[1]

References

↑ "What is volatile memory? - Definition from WhatIs.com". WhatIs.com.

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Volatile memory

See also

References