RAM or Main Memory – PC / computer memory (DIMM, DRAM, SDRAM)

A PC's third and principal level of system memory is referred to as main memory, or Random Access Memory (RAM). It is an impermanent source of data, but is the main memory area accessed by the hard disk. It acts, so to speak, as a staging post between the hard disk and the processor. The … [Read more...]

What is L2 (Level 2) cache memory?

Most PCs are offered with a Level 2 cache to bridge the processor/memory performance gap. Level 2 cache - also referred to as secondary cache) uses the same control logic as Level 1 cache and is also implemented in SRAM. Level 2 cache typically comes in two sizes, 256KB or 512KB, and … [Read more...]

What is Level 1 (L1) Cache Memory?

The Level 1 cache, or primary cache, is on the CPU and is used for temporary storage of instructions and data organised in blocks of 32 bytes. Primary cache is the fastest form of storage. Because it's built in to the chip with a zero wait-state (delay) interface to the processor's … [Read more...]