Turning Learners into Developers
The First Computer RAM
Robert H. Dennard invented DRAM in 1968 at IBM, marking a major breakthrough in computer memory technology. His design used tiny capacitors to store data, allowing RAM to become smaller, faster, and more efficient. This invention laid the foundation for the modern memory used in computers, smartphones, and almost all digital devices today.
| Year |
RAM Type / Technology |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
1947 |
Williams Tube |
First form of RAM using CRT to store bits as electric charges. |
| 1949 |
Magnetic Core Memory |
Durable, reliable memory using tiny magnetic rings; dominated until 1970s. |
|
1968 |
DRAM (Dynamic RAM) |
Invented by Robert Dennard; stored data in capacitors, enabling higher density. |
|
1970 |
Intel 1103 |
First commercially available DRAM chip; replaced magnetic core memory. |
|
1970s |
SRAM (Static RAM) |
Faster memory storing data using flip-flops; used in CPU caches. |
|
1980s |
FPM DRAM (Fast Page Mode) |
Improved DRAM allowing faster access to data in the same row. |
|
1990 |
EDO DRAM (Extended Data Out) |
Faster than FPM with improved data output timing. |
|
1993 |
BEDO DRAM |
Burst EDO, improved speed further but lost market to SDRAM. |
|
1996 |
SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM) |
Synchronized with the CPU clock; major speed boost over older DRAM. |
|
1999 |
DDR SDRAM (DDR1) |
Double Data Rate — transfers data on both clock edges; doubled bandwidth. |
|
2003 |
DDR2 SDRAM |
Higher clock speeds, lower power consumption, improved performance. |
|
2007 |
DDR3 SDRAM |
Faster, more efficient, widely used for over a decade. |
|
2014 |
DDR4 SDRAM |
Higher speed, lower voltage, improved reliability and density. |
|
2020 |
DDR5 SDRAM |
Latest mainstream RAM; double bandwidth of DDR4 with better efficiency and capacity. |
|
Present |
HBM / HBM2 / HBM3 |
High Bandwidth Memory used in GPUs and AI hardware, stacked vertically for extreme speed. |
