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What is SRAM (Static RAM) Memory?
SRAM (Static RAM) is an improved architecture of regular DRAM. Traditional DRAM is composed of a transistor and a capacitor which require periodic rewriting (refreshing) of information in order for data to remain valid. SRAM memory requires no refresh at all, it will maintain its information so long as it has sufficient power to keep it. This is due to the fact that internally, the SRAM component is made up of flip-flop circuitry, that does not depend on refreshing.Unfortunately, it is because of this flip-flop circuitry (made up of four-six transistors) that the SRAM is larger in size and cannot compete with the densities found in DRAMs of today. The same density issue gives reason to the higher price for SRAMs.
A redeeming factor in SRAMs lies in their amazing speeds. Typical SRAM devices are much faster than traditional DRAM memory, and can therefore be used along side the processor as cache (temporarily hold data) while it performs other duties. Its speeds allow quicker accesses in comparison to DRAMs which must wait several processor clock cycles before providing the needed information.