SRAM is a type of RAM used in various electronic applications, retaining data as a static image until overwritten or lost by power down. It is more expensive, faster, and more energy efficient than DRAM, but less dense. SRAM is used for critical and secondary uses, such as fast cache memory for CPUs and disk cache. It can be synchronous or asynchronous and incorporated into bipolar junction transistor or MOFSET chips. SDRAM is a flavor of DRAM and works differently.
Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) is a type of RAM used in various electronic applications including toys, automobiles, digital devices and computers. It only retains its contents while power is applied. This type of memory differs from dynamic RAM (DRAM) in that DRAM must use refresh cycles to keep its contents alive. SRAM holds data as a static “image” as indicated by the name, until it is overwritten or lost by power down.
SRAM is more expensive, faster, and more energy efficient than DRAM for most uses. However, its internal structure also makes it less dense, and therefore a less ideal candidate for main memory within personal computers. Instead, SRAM is used for critical and secondary uses, such as fast cache memory for central processing units (CPUs). CPU cache can significantly increase the overall performance of a computer with a fairly small footprint of dedicated memory.
Compared to DRAM, SRAM is more energy efficient when idle. However, overclocking the CPU can negate this power saving benefit. Overclocking causes the CPU to work faster than its marketed specifications. In that case, the SRAM cache spends less time in an energy-saving idle mode.
SRAM is also present in many modern hard drives as a disk cache. Disk cache is used to temporarily store frequently accessed data. Recovering data from the cache is several times faster than recovering from a standard hard drive designed with a platter. People might also find SRAM in modem routers, printers, digital cameras, and compact discs (CDs) or digital versatile disc (DVDs) decks. Toys with electronic interfaces also commonly use this type of memory.
Static RAM can be synchronous or asynchronous. Asynchronous SRAM does not depend on the CPU clock rate, while synchronous SRAM synchronizes with the CPU clock rate.
SRAM can be incorporated into one of two types of transistor chips: the bipolar junction transistor or the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOFSET). The former makes SRAM extremely fast but also consumes a lot of energy. This type of transistor is used in special applications. MOFSET is the most common type of memory used in the various applications discussed here.
Computer users should not confuse SRAM with SDRAM or Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory. SDRAM is a flavor of DRAM and works differently.
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