What's The Difference Between Volatile And Non-Volatile Memory?

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The difference comes down to what happens when the power goes off, but that’s only part of how modern memory works.

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Computer specs often use the word "memory" for several different technologies, which can make volatile and non-volatile memory sound more complicated than they are. The basic distinction is whether stored data survives when power disappears.

Volatile memory needs continuous power to retain its contents, while non-volatile memory keeps data after power is removed. That's why conventional system RAM is cleared when you shut down a computer, but files saved to an SSD are still there the next time it starts.

Volatility only describes what happens to the data when power goes away. It does not, by itself, tell you how fast a type of memory is, how much it can hold or what job it performs.

Volatile memory includes DRAM and SRAM

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When a laptop...

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