Random access memory is where data in current use is kept so that they can be quickly accessed by the CPU. RAM is much faster than most other storage in a computer, such as the hard disk. The data in RAM stays only as long power is sent to it, in other words, as long the computer is running. When the computer is turned off, RAM loses its data. When the computer is powered on, data is loaded into RAM, usually from the hard disk.

See: Main RAM, SRAM, BSRAM, DRAM, FPM DRAM, EDO RAM, BEDO DRAM, EDRAM, NVRAM, SDRAM, JEDEC SDRAM, PC100 SDRAM, PRAM, DDR SDRAM, ESDRAM, DRDRAM, SLDRAM, FRAM, Video RAM, RAMDAC, VRAM, SGRAM, WRAM, MDRAM, RDRAM, ROM