AI EncyclopediaChips & deep techChips
Memory chip
메모리 반도체
A chip that holds information. The best-known types are DRAM, which holds data briefly, and NAND flash, which stores it for the long term.
Overview
A computer cannot work with a calculating chip alone. It needs a place to put data and a place to keep it. DRAM holds data briefly while the computer works, and NAND flash keeps data even when the power is off. The photos and apps on a phone are stored in NAND flash.
Memory has similar standards no matter which company makes it. So when it is in short supply the price rises a lot, and when there is too much the price falls a lot, again and again. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have long been big companies in this field, and they also make HBM, the memory for AI.
An everyday example
If DRAM is the counter where you set out ingredients while cooking, NAND flash is the refrigerator where you store them. The counter is quick to reach but small, and the refrigerator is roomy but takes longer to get things out of.
Why it matters
It is a major item in South Korea's exports, so when memory prices go up and down, it becomes economic news. As AI uses more memory, it also keeps showing up in AI news.