Primary Memory vs Secondary Memory

Difference Between Primary Memory vs Secondary Memory

The following article provides an outline for Primary Memory vs Secondary Memory. Memory is similar to our brain because it uses data and instructions to store them. Computer memory is the storage space for processing the data and for storing the necessary instructions for processing. The memory is divided into several smaller parts called the cell. There are a unique address and size for every cell/location. Basically, there are two types of memory first is primary memory, and the second is secondary memory.

What is Primary Memory?

The core computer device memory is primary memory. Present commands are copied to the primary memory, so the CPU can access the data directly from the primary memory. Primary memory accessing data is quicker because of internal memory, and the processor uses the data bus to access primary memory data. The primary memory is normally volatile in nature, meaning that the data is not stored in the primary memory until it is saved. The basic storage is semiconductor and costs more than secondary storage. The primary computer memory space is constantly lower than the secondary memory.

Primary memory is divided into two types first one is RAM, and the second one is ROM.

• RAM: The memory of RAM is read and write. The currently needed data is stored in RAM and can be accessed easily from the CPU. When power is turned off, RAM is volatile and loses data. Static or dynamic RAM may be possible.
• ROM: The ROM is a memory reading only; it cannot be modified in its substance. It is equipped with instructions to boot the device. It remains its contents even when power is disabled, i.e. ROM’s non-volatile memory. EPROM, PROM and EEPROM are the forms of ROMs.

What is the Secondary Memory?

Secondary memory is a machine auxiliary memory. The data to be permanently preserved in secondary storage is retained. The CPU does not have direct secondary memory access to the data. Initially, the data must be copied to primary memory and can only be processed through the CPU. Access to secondary memory data is also slower. You can access the secondary memory on the channel of input. The secondary memory is non-volatile, which ensures that the secondary memory material exists even though the power is turned off. The secondary storage is magnetic or optical storage, which is cheaper than the main storage.

Head to Head Comparison Between Primary Memory vs Secondary Memory (Infographics)

Below are the top 7 differences between Primary Memory vs Secondary Memory:

Key Difference Between Primary Memory vs Secondary Memory

Let us discuss some of the major key differences between Primary Memory vs Secondary Memory:

• The principal distinction between primary and secondary memories is that the primary storage can be accessed directly through the Kernel, while the CPU cannot access the secondary storage directly.
• The primary data memory is also called the main computer memory. Secondary memory, though, is called an auxiliary memory.
• The data to be processed is currently in primary storage, but the data that must be retained indefinitely is stored in secondary storage.
• Primary memories are memories of the semi-conductor, while secondary memories are magnet and optical. Main memory data access rates are higher than secondary memory.
• Secondary memory is cheaper than primary memory.
• By using a data bus, we can access primary memory, and the secondary memory is accessible by the input-output channels.

Primary Memory vs Secondary Memory Comparison Table

Let’s discuss the top comparison between Primary Memory vs Secondary Memory:

Sr. No	Primary Memory	Secondary Memory
1	By volatile and non-volatile memories, the primary memory is categorized.	The secondary recall is often a non-volatile remembrance.
2	Memory devices mainly cost more than storage devices secondary to one.	Secondary storage devices are cheaper than the main storage devices.
3	By data bus, you can access the primary memory.	By input and output channels, you can access the secondary memory.
4	Primary memory data is accessed quicker.	Secondary memory data is slower to access.
5	Processor/CPU accesses directly to the main memory.	CPU is not directly available to secondary memory.
6	It includes data or information that the processing unit currently uses. Power is typically between 16 and 32 GB.	It stores a large amount of information and data. The terabyte size is normally 200GB.
7	In the case of a power loss, it is a volatile memory meaning the data cannot be stored.	It is a non-volatile memory to hold the data even after power loss.

Conclusion

Primary storage is costly and is available on a device in a small capacity. Secondary storage is more accessible and present on the device in bulk. Even without secondary memory, but with primary memory, computers can work. So in this article, we have seen a detailed comparison of Primary memory and Secondary memory.

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