#TechNotes 8 - How do the 4GB & 64GB Memories work in Mobile Phones? (Android) Part 1/2 - TravellerG

Post -1 of 2.

Have you ever thought of why there are 2 types of memories?

What are they & how they work? (For laymen)

(Here we are taking a typical ‘4GB RAM & 64GB Internal Storage’ Mobile for discussion).

Level 1 Consideration:

Q - How many types of memories are there in a Mobile?

A - In simple words, there are 2 types of Memories:

  1. RAM (4 GB)
  2. Internal Storage/Secondary storage/ROM. (64GB)

RAM is a very fast memory which supports the main processor for every activity (loading & executing OS, Apps, etc.) of mobile & loses its data once the power is switched off - RAM is 4GB in this case.

&

Internal Storage/Memory, like an SD Card, stores persistent data written for storage, even if the power is switched off (also known as ROM); however, this memory is very slow - 64GB in this post.

  • The bigger RAM enables the mobile to handle more Apps/Tasks at the same time.

&

  • The bigger ROM provides storage space to accommodate more data (More Photos, Videos, Documents, etc.) - (in other words, the hard disk of a computer).

Level 2 Consideration:

  1. RAM is Random Accessible Memory which is “Volatile & Dynamic” - meaning - Memory which works only with power, very close to the CPU (& GPU) & maintains the operating system active always (after Booting). The CPU/GPU processes all the information with the help of the RAM.

  2. The Internal Memory stores data starting from the file allocation system [*1], all the apps, libraries, other (Photos, Docs) files, etc. The OS (Operating System) is also stored in this memory but in a hidden area [*2] called System Partition.

Which all modules use the ‘Memory’ in a mobile?

Basically, the CPU & GPU uses the memories.

The CPU (central processing unit) is the brain of a device which controls the whole device, once the operating system is loaded (after booting).

The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a Co-Processor handling the visual rendering of a phone’s display, in coordination with the CPU.

CPU is the brain & GPU is like the eyes.

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[*1] - File allocation Table tells the mobile, how the files are stored in the Internal Memory.

[*2] - This memory is accessible to the manufacturer to store the OS & update it when needed; one needs to root the device to view the files in this partition.

I have tried to keep the discussion in simple words - kindly give me feedback, if something is not clear).

[Contd in 2 of 2]

Dear @TusharSuradkar , @AmbrishVarshney & @NareshDarji can you kindly check whether the explanation is clear? Thanks for letting me know this…

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Part 2 of 2 Here.

17 Likes

That’s a useful explanatory article @TravellerG
One curiosity. As there are different varieties of PC memories like DDR3/4 etc., are there variations in the phone memory?
Can that make a difference in the speed of operation?

1 Like

Respected Ji, @C_T

Such powerful questions you are asking & thank you for the same…

Each question is a POST…

For some of your questions, I am also opening my dictionary, after many months…

Thanks for the inspiration:

Yes, Surely … I shall write full details shortly - the next post is on RAM…

Nowadays, most of the modern mobile use DDR4, but the LP Version (Low Power).

That is:

LPDDR = Low Power - Double Data Rate RAM

More precisely, LPDDR SDRAM = Low power Double Data Rate - Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory

The current trend is LPDDR4 & LPDDR4x (4x with higher speed).

Samsung has used LPDDR5 in its flagship Galaxy S20, which has more than 5,000 Mbps clock speed.

Do we really need 5,000 Mbps clocking Memories?

That is a different question…