Persistent Memory in 2025: What It Is and Why It’s Still Relevant

Persistent memory (PMEM) is a hybrid technology that combines the speed of traditional memory with the durability of storage. Unlike conventional RAM, which loses data when power is off, PMEM retains its contents—offering a unique blend of performance and persistence.

In today’s enterprise landscape, where real-time data processing, uptime, and reliability are critical, persistent memory plays a growing role. From speeding up databases to ensuring fast recovery after crashes, it supports modern workloads that demand both speed and resilience.

In this article, you’ll learn what persistent memory is, how it compares to RAM and SSDs, where it fits in the system architecture, and why—even with some technologies being phased out—it remains relevant for the future of computing.

At its core, persistent memory is a type of non-volatile memory that retains data even after power is lost. It delivers access speeds close to DRAM (RAM), while behaving more like storage when it comes to data durability.

To understand its value, consider the two extremes in most systems:

• RAM: Fast, volatile memory—data disappears on shutdown.
• SSDs/HDDs: Slower, but persistent storage—data survives power loss.

PMEM fills the gap between these layers. It’s faster than SSDs, more durable than RAM, and can be accessed directly at the byte level—without going through traditional storage I/O. This unique positioning introduces a new tier in the memory-storage hierarchy, often referred to as storage-class memory.

The result: faster system restarts, reduced latency in data-heavy applications, and improved overall system performance—especially in environments like data centers, cloud platforms, and AI workloads.

Persistent memory retains data even when the system is powered off. This means critical information doesn’t need to be constantly written to storage, reducing I/O bottlenecks and enabling faster recovery in case of crashes or restarts.

While not as fast as DRAM, PMEM significantly outperforms traditional storage devices like SSDs and HDDs. It delivers lower latency and higher throughput for applications that require frequent data reads and writes.

Unlike SSDs, which operate in blocks, persistent memory allows byte-level access. This enables applications to manipulate data with fine granularity using standard memory instructions—making it more efficient for certain workloads.

Persistent memory provides a cost-effective way to expand memory capacity without relying solely on DRAM. Enterprises can scale their systems for larger datasets and in-memory processing, leading to better performance in data-intensive environments.

PMEM improves transaction speeds and recovery times in relational and NoSQL databases by allowing faster write operations and persistent in-memory structures. It reduces the need for frequent disk writes, enhancing durability and throughput.

Persistent memory supports in-memory analytics by enabling large datasets to remain in a near-DRAM environment—even after power loss. This leads to quicker insights and reduced downtime in platforms that rely on continuous data flow.

AI training and inference tasks benefit from faster data pipelines and reduced model loading times. In virtualized environments, PMEM enables faster VM provisioning and recovery, improving service continuity and resource utilization.

• Characteristics: Lacks a memory register, making it faster but less stable in large configurations.
• Use Cases: Typically found in desktop computers, workstations, and entry-level servers.
• Pros: Lower cost, lower power consumption, minimal latency.
• Cons: Limited scalability, less reliability for enterprise applications.

Intel Optane was one of the most well-known implementations of persistent memory. Despite its technical strengths, Intel discontinued the product line due to limited market adoption, high costs, and challenges in competing with more affordable DRAM and SSD solutions. The decision highlighted the difficulty in balancing performance, compatibility, and price in enterprise environments.

While Optane has exited the stage, research into next-generation persistent memory technologies continues. Alternatives such as MRAM (Magnetoresistive RAM), ReRAM (Resistive RAM), and FeRAM (Ferroelectric RAM) are gaining traction. These technologies aim to deliver similar persistence with better scalability, lower latency, and improved cost structures.

Even with product shifts, the underlying need for persistent memory remains strong—especially in applications requiring a combination of speed and durability. Databases, cloud-native systems, and edge computing platforms all benefit from PMEM’s unique capabilities, and the concept continues to influence system architecture.

The broader non-volatile memory market, including persistent memory, is projected to grow steadily. According to forecasts, the Storage Class Memory market is expected to achieve a CAGR of 35.6% from 2025 to 2030, driven by AI, real-time analytics, and edge computing use cases.

One of the primary barriers to widespread PMEM adoption is cost. Persistent memory technologies have historically been more expensive than DRAM and SSDs, which makes them harder to justify for general-purpose use.

Leveraging persistent memory effectively requires changes to system architecture, BIOS/firmware support, and application-level adaptation. Not all hardware platforms are fully compatible, and software must be optimized to take advantage of byte-addressable, non-volatile memory.

Developers need to adopt new programming models and tools to fully utilize persistent memory’s benefits. This adds a learning curve and development overhead, especially in environments with legacy systems or limited in-house expertise.

Persistent memory (PMEM) represents a significant shift in how we think about memory and storage. It blends the speed of DRAM with the durability of storage, offering a powerful solution for data-intensive applications that require both performance and persistence.

While high costs and limited adoption led to the discontinuation of technologies like Intel Optane, the broader concept of persistent memory continues to evolve. New alternatives such as MRAM and ReRAM signal ongoing innovation, and market projections point to growing demand driven by AI, edge computing, and real-time analytics.

In short, persistent memory is not a fading trend—it’s a foundational idea that will continue to shape the future of computing as technology advances and new use cases emerge. Organizations investing in data resilience, speed, and scalability should keep a close eye on its developments.

To learn more about practical implementations, take a look at our range of compatible server memory solutions at CoreWave Labs.