Have you ever wondered what the differences are between the various memory inside your devices? If so, you‘ve come to the right place friend!
In this comprehensive article, we‘re going to unpack everything you need to know about VRAM and RAM – two critical types of random access memory used in computers and other electronics. You‘ll learn about their speeds, purposes, histories and more through data-rich analysis.
Let‘s level up our understanding together!
What Are VRAM and RAM? A Basic Overview
Before we dive deeper, let‘s start with some standard definitions:
RAM: Stands for random access memory. This is the primary system memory used for short-term data storage like running software programs or loading web pages. RAM connects directly to motherboard slots.
VRAM: Stands for video RAM. This is a special type of RAM optimized for handling graphics and visual imagery. It‘s located on video cards or GPUs instead of the motherboard.
So in short, versatile RAM handles general computing tasks while speedy VRAM renders all the complex graphics and visuals.
Now let‘s unpack a quick history lesson…
From Lab Experiments to Lightning Fast: A History
Both forms of memory originated from computing innovations in the 1940s-60s. Let‘s explore their progression to present-day standards!
The Evolution of RAM
| Year | Milestone | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Williams Tube, first electronic RAM | 100s of KHz |
| 1965 | Magnetic core memory | 10s-100s of MHz |
| 1971 | Intel 1103 DRAM chip | 10s of MHz |
| 1993 | Intel releases Pentium CPU and EDO DRAM | 100+ MHz |
| 2000 | DDR RAM released | 1000s MHz |
| 2014 | DDR4 SDRAM standard | 1000s MHz |
From primitive inications like the Williams Tube in 1947 to today‘s lightning fast DDR4 modules, RAM capacity and performance improved enormously over decades of incremental developments.
The History of VRAM
| Year | Milestone | Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | First video framebuffers | <1GB/s |
| 1984 | IBM invents VRAM tech | 1-10GB/s |
| 1999 | Nvidia GeForce 256 launches with DDR SGRAM VRAM | 10s GB/s |
| 2003 | GDDR3 VRAM rolls out | 30s GB/s |
| 2019 | GDDR6 starts adoption | >500GB/s |
Dedicated VRAM lengthened its lead over generic RAM thanks to GPU vendor innovations tailored to graphics workloads. From primitive framebuffers to the massive throughput of GDDR6, VRAM has continuously evolved to crunch visuals faster.
But what exactly do these acronyms mean? Let‘s break things down…
Inside VRAM and RAM: A Technical Dive
You now understand the what and when, but what about the how? We‘re going to get a bit nerdy and explore what actually goes on inside RAM and VRAM modules from an electrical engineering view.
RAM: Dynamic Random Access Memory
The most common modern form of RAM is dynamic random access memory, or DRAM:
DRAM uses tiny capacitors and transistors arranged in memory arrays to encode 1s and 0s for data storage. The capacitors must be refreshed thousands of times per second or data is lost – hence it being "dynamic" memory.
Reading and writing is handled through the single "port" connecting the arrays to the memory controller. While fast for general tasks, this single lane limits throughput for demanding workloads.
VRAM: Graphics/Video Random Access Memory
Now let‘s explore the various types of graphics memory, aka VRAM:
GDDR SGRAM
Common in modern GPUs, graphics DDR SGRAM uses principles similar to regular DDR DRAM. But everything has been supercharged to feed visual data to GPU cores blazingly quick:
With a much wider bus and twice the access ports, GDDR can achieve 500-1000GB/s to provide the bandwidth needed for smooth 8K gaming or video editing complex timelines.
HBM (High Bandwidth Memory)
The latest iteration of VRAM stacks DRAM dies vertically using an advanced interconnect to hit over 1 Terabyte per second speeds!
By maximizing density and minimizing distance data must travel between the GPU die itself, HBM unlocks new realms of performance.
Now that you understand the electrical nuts and bolts, let‘s shift gears and talk real-world use cases…
VRAM vs RAM Usage in The Wild
We‘ve covered the fundamentals – but when should you expect to lean more heavily on regular RAM versus screaming fast VRAM?
VRAM Loves Graphics, Video and Gaming
If you‘re manipulating complex 3D CAD models, editing 8K video sequences, or want silky smooth framerates in the latest first person shooters, prioritize ample VRAM capacity!
RAM Buckles Down on Background Tasks
If you‘ve got 25 browser tabs open across 4 different applications while also editing a spreadsheet and streaming a webinar? RAM keeps that multitasking juggling act possible!
While VRAM renders the finished images, video and game visuals at breakneck speeds, versatile RAM manages all the mundane background workflows.
Comparing Performance and Speed
Let‘s quantify the real world difference in speeds using some benchmark examples:
| Memory Type | Memory Standard | Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|
| DDR4 RAM | 2400MHz | 19.2 GB/s |
| GDDR6 VRAM | 16Gbps | Up to 936 GB/s! |
As you can see, bleeding edge GDDR6 VRAM offers nearly 50X higher maximum bandwidth compared to common DDR4 RAM sticks!
This enables buttery smooth 8K gaming and extremely rapid CAD project manipulation in VR. But for background Excel number crunching, DDR4 RAM is still plenty quick!
Can I Upgrade My VRAM or RAM?
What about upgrading these components as technology progresses even further? There are key differences in upgradeability between VRAM and RAM:
Upgrading RAM
- Fairly easy
- Just insert new DDR4 stick into empty motherboard slot
- Wide range of affordable sticks available
Upgrading VRAM
- Requires entire new GPU or video card
- VRAM chips integrated onto cards and can‘t be swapped
- More expensive since whole card must be replaced
So while picking up a RAM upgrade is a cinch, VRAM requires a much more involved and costly graphics card upgrade.
But fear not – even budget cards these days pack a decent VRAM punch!
Gazing Into the Memory Crystal Ball
What does the future hold for video memory vs system memory? We can expect to see:
- Ongoing iterations of GDDR and DDR standards eking out more performance gains
- Additional HBM stacks and new interconnects pushing bandwidth higher
- Super high frequency RAM bridging the gap to "slow" VRAM
- Exotic new technologies like Intel‘s cryogenic temperature RAM project
- Possible unified memory architecture fusing benefits of both VRAM and RAM
While RAM and VRAM maintain separate evolutionary paths for now, the road ahead promises exciting innovations to feed our memories both visual and virtual!
The Best Memory is Understanding Their Differences!
We‘ve covered a ton of ground exploring VRAM versus RAM – from early lab origins to future tech visions!
Key Takeaways:
- VRAM renders graphics/video, RAM handles system tasks
- VRAM leverages advanced tech for 50X+ more bandwidth
- Upgrading RAM is easy, VRAM requires new video card
- Bleeding edge tech continues pushing boundaries
Hopefully you now feel empowered to boost your own system‘s memory capabilities. Understanding how these fundamental components function is the first step!
What question didn‘t I cover? Let me know and we‘ll continue the memory magic!