Acronym for
single in-line memory module, a small
circuit board that can hold a group of
memory chips. Typically, SIMMs hold up to eight (on
Macintoshes) or nine (on
PCs)
RAM chips. On PCs, the ninth chip is often used for parity error checking. Unlike memory chips, SIMMs are measured in
bytes rather than bits. SIMMs are easier to install than individual memory chips.
The bus from a SIMM to the actual memory chips is 32 bits wide. A newer technology, called dual in-line memory module (DIMM), provides a 64-bit bus. For modern Pentium microprocessors that have a 64-bit bus, you must use either DIMMs or pairs of SIMMs.
