---
tags: [computer-history, memory]
created: Friday, September 27, 2024
---

# Magnetic core memory

![](static/magnetic-core-memory.jpg)

Like [Magnetic_drum_memory](Magnetic_drum_memory.md), magnetic core memory was
faster and more reliable than [delay_line_memory](Delay_line_memory.md) and
vacuum-tubes, and was also persistent. Thus it was used for volatile memory as
well as storage.

It worked as follows. Magnetic beads made of ferrite and threaded with copper
were arranged in a crisscross grid. A bead would be placed at the overlap of two
copper threads. This constitutes a "core".A pulse of electric current would
magnetise/de-magnetise the cores.

![](static/magnetic-core-closeup.jpg)
