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DDR3 Memory Upgrades

DDR3 SDRAM – double data rate type three synchronous dynamic random access memory, yields a high bandwidth interface, a standard that permits chip capacities of up to 8 gigabits, and an ability to transfer data at twice the rate than its immediate predecessor, DDR2 SDRAM. Speeds can reach up to 8 times the speed of its internal memory arrays, raising its peak data rates. Two transfers per cycle of a quadrupled clock yield a 64-bit DDR3 module a transfer rate of up to 64 times the memory clock speed in MB/s than a comparable DDR2 module. DDR3 SDRAM is not directly compatible with either of its predecessors, DDR2 or DDR due to several factors including different signaling voltages and timings. DDR3 DIMMs house 240 pins, DDR3 SO-DIMMs 204 pins. Different key notch positions on the DIMMs prevent the two interchanging.

An entirely different technology – GDDR3 memory which is used in graphics cards is sometimes improperly confused with DDR3.

Not sure which DDR3 memory you need? Find Out

History

DDR3 prototypes were announced in early 2005. Intel’s eXtreme Memory Profile (XMP) specification was released on March 23, 2007, enabling performance extensions to the more traditional JEDEC SPD specifications for DDR3. Motherboards appeared on the market in June 2007 – Intel’s P35 “Bearlake” chipset – with DIMMs at bandwidths up to DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800). The Core i7, also released by Intel in November 2008 and supporting only DDR3, eliminated the chipset and connects directly to memory. The next year saw AMD's socket AM3 Phenom II X4 processors; their first with DDR3 support.

DDR3 vs DDR2

DDR3 memory’s 8-burst-deep prefetch buffer emits an all-important higher bandwidth than DDR2’s 4-burst or DDR’s 2-burst buffer, perhaps the greatest advantage over its predecessors. DDR3 modules’ 1.5 V supply voltage also reduces power consumption 30% to that of DDR2, which contains a 1.8 voltage and DDR which contains a 2.5 voltage.

JEDEC has introduced a DDR3L standard for low voltage DDR3 memory. DDR3 (SSTL_15), DDR2 and DDR share the electric signaling standard Stub Series Terminated Logic, with varying voltages and timings. DDR3L’s (labeled PC3L) default operating voltage is 1.35 V, which uses 15%+ less power than DDR3 and 40% less than DDR2.

Utilizing both the rising and falling edges to transfer data (double sampling ) of a 400–1066 MHz I/O clock, DDR3 modules transfer data at a rate of 800–2133 MT/s normally double the MHz. DDR2 has a much smaller range of transfer rates – 400–1066 MT/s with a 200–533 MHz I/O clock, and DDR's range is 200–400 MT/s with a 100–200 MHz I/O clock. High-performance graphics which requires high bandwidth data transfer between framebuffers was an initial driver of the increased bandwidth requirements of DDR3.