What Is Memory Cache?

Do you know how you've got that friend who's always bragging about his "memory"? He thinks he is great at it and always shows off his skills to the world. Yeah, he's full of it. He needs help remembering where he put his keys and repeatedly asks you for the same information. Memory, in terms of computers, is different. Memory cache is installed and part of a computer's main Random Access Memory (RAM). It is a native cache memory of the RAM that provides faster data accessing and processing capabilities than the RAM. The memory cache's primary function is to store data that is most frequently accessed by the CPU and make it easier for the CPU to access it. Most computers have between 2 and 8 MB memory cache, depending on the model and manufacturer. The more RAM a computer has, the more likely it is to have a memory cache. The term "memory cache" is a bit of a misnomer. It's not that the kind of memory we're talking about here is made of cheese, but rather that the best way to understand it is as an extension of the CPU's cache. So, what's a computer's cache? Well, a tiny amount of super-fast memory stores data and instructions used frequently by the CPU. Because this data is so often used, storing it speeds up your computer's performance. A memory cache is like a little pocket for your computer's brain. A tiny bit of memory stores data so the computer can access it quickly without having to do the hard work of remembering what it's looking for. It's like a little bucket that holds whatever you've put in there while you do other things with your computer. That makes it so great that you can use your laptop while it's still remembering things!