Memory that needs an electric charge to keep data is referred to as volatile memory. Every piece of info is lost when the electricity is switched off. Non-volatile memory, which does not require electricity to sustain the data storing state, is frequently compared with volatile memory.

RAM, also known as random-access memory, is the most popular kind of dynamic memory. RAM is used by computers and other electrical devices to retrieve info quickly. RAM usually has read/write speeds that are several times quicker than those of bulk storage devices like hard drives and SSDs. The operating system is loaded into Memory when a computer starts up. Similar to this, Memory is installed when you start a program on your computer or mobile device. The operating system and open apps can function much quicker if they are loaded into Memory.

All information kept in RAM is destroyed when the host device is powered off or rebooted because RAM is transient memory. When a device is switched on, the operating system needs to be put into Memory once more. Although this takes more time to process during starting, the "refresh" that non-volatile memory offers is an efficient method to resolve persistent problems that might arise while a computer is in use. Because of this, rebooting a computer or other technological device often solves basic issues.

The most typical form of transient memory is system RAM, but there are several others as well. Examples of transient memory are provided below:

• System RAM (DRAM)
• Processor L1 and L2 cache
• HDD and SSD disk cache
• Video RAM (VRAM)