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A RAM card is a physical memory module that is plugged into a computer’s motherboard. The RAM card contains the actual memory chips that store the data being used by the computer. A RAM card is usually referred to simply as RAM (random access memory) or memory, even though these are different since the latter is the concept, whereas the former is the application or implementation of that concept in hardware, but this misnomer should not be very confusing as the context of the usage reveals whether the speaker is referring to the hardware or the concept.
A RAM card is also known as a RAM stick or memory module.
Techopedia Explains RAM Card
A RAM card contains all of the electronic components required to implement the concept of random access memory, all packaged in a slim printed circuit board (PCB) that houses interface controllers and buses, with the actual RAM chips serving as the heart of the card.
RAM cards vary depending on the type of RAM chips being used as well on the speed of the overall performance, which is usually determined by generation. So, for every new generation with increased performance, which sometimes makes it incompatible with previous generations, a slightly different notch on the connector is made to prevent accidental connections with incompatible motherboards.
A common type of RAM card is known as dual in-line memory module (DIMM) because of the separate pin functions on each side of the card as opposed to single in-line memory module (SIMM), which has redundant connectors on the other side. Typically, the DIMM form factor is used to house dynamic random access memory (DRAM) modules.
