PC Acronyms Explained: RAM vs DRAM

When building a PC there’s a lot of different parts so as a new builder it could be easy to get lost in the sea of NVMe SSDs, CPUs, GPUs, & PSUs. Those acronyms don’t even get into the specs for each device but it’s okay if you don’t understand everything yet. Let’s take one step towards knowing more by just breaking down two acronyms you may have heard, RAM and DRAM.

The short answer: RAM and DRAM are the same thing.

RAM is short for Random Access Memory. It is what your computer uses to store information it’s expecting to need based on the programs and applications you are using. That is why you may have heard about how having too many tabs open in a web browser can eat up all your RAM. Even though you aren’t actively looking at them your computer needs to be ready in case you switch to any of them.

RAM is the broadest form of this type of memory. There are different types of RAM, which includes DRAM with the ‘D’ standing for “Dynamic.” DRAM is characterized by its constant need for power to refresh its memory. This is in contrast to “Static” property of SRAM which doesn’t have a decaying memory and can simply hold the data while being powered.

DRAM is the most common form used in PC building and sometimes gets simplified to just RAM. You will also see it commonly referred to as the hardware category of just “memory.” They come in the form of long thing sticks, sometimes with RGB on top. You may find cheaper models on green PCB with square black RAM chips exposed but those have become less common as RAM has become more powerful and generate more heat. That is why we now have metal heat sinks to help them cool down and add some style.

To learn what RAM would be best for you check out the various RAM articles across explorer like Best RAM for gaming in 2024 or How to check RAM and motherboard compatibility. Or if you know what you want, go straight to our store page to check out the latest and greatest offering from tried and true line of RAM.