What is the difference between ddr2 and ddr3 RAM. How to find out the type of RAM

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. In one of the previous articles, I mentioned the differences between the two most common today - ddr2 and ddr3. There I said that in terms of performance and power consumption, ddr3 memory looks better than ddr2, which is already outdated by modern standards, but is the difference between them really that big? And is it worth buying ddr3 type RAM, or should I stick with ddr2?

Numbers are numbers, but the difference in characteristics on paper is not always noticeable in reality. I suspect that many readers still have old-style motherboards with ddr2 memory, and I would really not like to change the board because it does not support the newfangled ddr3. What can I say, I myself now have two 2 gigabyte sticks of DDR2.

But I was always worried about one question - if I now change the motherboard to another one that supports ddr3 memory, while the processor, video card, etc. (except for memory) remain the same, will there be at least some noticeable increase in the speed of the computer (in games, in everyday work)? So today we will try to answer this question.

And to begin with, I propose to consider what capabilities and features has each type of memory. So, regarding ddr2:

• The maximum amount of such memory is 16 GB for serial motherboards, rarely - 32 GB for server boards.
• The maximum frequency for this type of memory is 800 MHz; in very rare cases, there are models overclocked to 1066 MHz.
• The power consumption of one strip is 1.8 V.
• The latency of ddr2 is much lower than that of ddr3. The delay shows how much time has passed from the moment the data is requested until it is read from the memory module (how much time the memory spends on certain operations). The lower this value, the better.
• Since the latency time of ddr2 is less, at the same operating frequencies this memory will work faster than ddr3.
• The maximum volume of a single stick is 8 GB, I have never seen more.

Now regarding DDR3:

• The maximum amount of memory that can be installed on the motherboard is practically unlimited, from 64 GB and further into space. True, it is not entirely clear for what purpose so much RAM might be needed. Personally, 4 GB is enough for me to work comfortably, even with a reserve.
• Recently I came across one model in the Yandex market, costing about 10,000 rubles, with a frequency of 3000 MHz and a capacity of 8 GB. I think this is the limit; I have never seen higher frequency models.
• The power consumption of a standard ddr3 is about 1.5 V. There are also modifications DDR3L and LPDDR3, their power consumption is 1.35 V and 1.2 V, respectively.
• Due to the architecture features, ddr3 memory sticks have longer latencies than ddr2.
• Since ddr3 has a longer latency, this type of memory will work slower at the same operating frequencies. Therefore, usually the operating frequencies of ddr3 are an order of magnitude higher than those of ddr2.
• The maximum possible volume of one stick is 32 GB.

Remember, in the previous article (link at the beginning) I mentioned incompatibility these two types of memory? That is, you won’t be able to buy a ddr3 stick and insert it into a ddr2 slot. So, there are combined motherboards that have several slots for different types of memory, although there is one limitation - their simultaneous use is impossible, but I personally never understood why.

As you can see, the differences between ddr2 and ddr3 are quite significant. But this is on paper, but in reality it turns out something like this.

Here are the results of How does the type of RAM affect the number of FPS?(frames per second) in the game Crysis (the more frames the better), the graph is taken from a very well-known resource in the bourgeoisie: www.tweaktown.com/articles/1782/amd_phenom_ii_ddr2_vs_ddr3_performance/index11.html. At one time, this game could safely be called a breakthrough in terms of graphics and physics, naturally, it simply unrealistically loaded the processor-video card-RAM “combination”, so almost from the moment it came out, it began to be used as a benchmark - which translated from English means "performance test".

The graph shows that the increase was about 1-2 FPS, which, you see, is very modest. Okay, maybe it’s only Crysis that produced such results, maybe it will be different in other games? Here is a graph with test results for several games at once, taken from the site: www.ixbt.com/cpu/ddr2-800-vs-ddr3-1333.shtml.

And here there is no performance gain at all, as you may have noticed. But there must be a result somewhere, after all? Or have the marketers lied again, and ddr3 is of no use? Below are the results of the popular synthetic benchmark 3DMark Vantage. Synthetic benchmarks load the system components many times more than regular games, for example.

Even here the difference is minimal, it is so small that you can’t feel it. The same goes for games; you simply won’t notice a difference of 1-5 fps by eye. So what's the point of ddr3 then? I think that while central processors cannot fully utilize the speed capabilities of ddr3, perhaps this will happen in the near future, and then ddr2 will completely go off the market and everyone will forget about it. In the meantime, for those of you who still use ddr2 memory for some reason, I do not recommend changing it to a more modern one, because the use of this is like milk from a goat.

Another thing is that now almost all motherboards are equipped with ddr3 connectors, and here you won’t have to choose. At the moment, ddr3 memory is already cheaper than the outdated ddr2 (for the same money you can buy ddr3 memory with a capacity 2 times larger), so owners of old mat. motherboards, there are two options to choose from - either pay at double the rate, or buy a new motherboard with a new processor, which looks like a much more unprofitable solution compared to the first option. When RAM is not widely available on sale, it becomes more expensive. Thank you.

As you know, DDR2 and DDR3 belong to completely different generations of RAM and there are a huge number of aspects that distinguish them from each other. Despite their presence, there are still ongoing debates regarding whether it makes sense to overpay for DDR3, given that DDR2., or rather its characteristics, are practically the same.

What are DDR2 and DDR3?

The appearance of DDR2 caused a huge sensation not only among representatives of large IT companies, but also among users who simply did not want to give up the standard version of DDR. If we compare the second version of RAM with the standard one, it should be noted that DDR 2 is capable of transferring data across both slices. In addition, their difference comes down to the fact that DDR 2 can boast of having a much faster bus. By the way, the procedure for transferring data to them can be performed simultaneously, and from four places at once. In view of the above, we can confidently say that the data transfer speed of DDR 2 will be several times higher than that of the previous generation.

In addition, such RAM is characterized by relatively low power consumption and fairly fast cooling. DDR 2 seemed to be the most efficient, until the existence of DDR3 became known.

In the case of such RAM, there is a decrease in the supply voltage of the cells. To the creators of DDR 3, in some incredible way managed to reduce energy consumption by as much as 15 percent. In addition to standard varieties of DDR 3, slightly modified versions are also available on the modern market. They are marked with the letter “L”, which means that this RAM model can boast of having an even greater energy saving indicator. The bandwidth of DDR 3 significantly exceeds those provided in the case of any previous RAM models. However, now DDR 3 can no longer be called the most efficient type of RAM, since relatively recently, DDR 4 announced itself, which, according to the official statement of the manufacturer, should surpass all previous generations.

I think you can guess that DDR 3 and DDR 4 are RAM standards that, unfortunately, cannot be interchangeable or compatible. In addition, they differ in the speed of their own work, as well as in some frequency indicators. So, if the maximum frequency of ordinary DDR 2 is only 800 MHz, then in the case of DDR 3, this figure increases to 1600 MHz.

It is not recommended to install DDR 2 and DDR 3 on the same motherboard, as they are completely incompatible. These two memory standards also differ in that DDR3 consumes much less power and also cools much faster. By the way, at the moment there are so-called hybrid motherboards on sale, the main feature of which is that they have connectors for both types of RAM. However, it should be taken into account that they can only be used separately from each other.

DDR 2 and DDR 3

The main differences between DDR 2 and DDR 3 are as follows:

• The main distinguishing feature of these two memory standards is that they have completely different slots and, due to their presence, it is impossible to combine them with each other.
• DDR 3 has a much higher clock speed. In the new version it is 1600 MHz, and in the previous version it is only 800 MHz.
• Unlike its previous version, DDR3, boasts much higher bandwidth and much lower power consumption.

Indeed, in some situations it is completely inappropriate to replace the old DDR2, because in the vast majority of cases, especially considering how a significant part of PC users spend their leisure time, that will be enough. At the same time, we should not forget that DDR2 and DDR3 are completely different types of RAM and, due to the presence of so many distinctive features, it is completely stupid to confuse them with each other. By the way, the DDR4 memory standard has now appeared, which, like all its former analogues, will have a whole list of all sorts of differences. At the same time, it will cost much more!

Updated: 08/15/2019 11:02:21

Expert: Savva Goldshmid

At one time, DDR RAM became a real breakthrough not only in the professional environment - users appreciated not just a fashionable, but also an incredibly productive device. And the emergence of the second and third generations made it possible to talk about super speeds. So, what are DDR2 and DDR3, how to distinguish them and which version is better? Our experts found out the answer.

All the predecessors of what became the reference DDR, used before 1995, at one time seemed like “cool” things. But when the DIMM or the so-called SDRam appeared, a new era gradually began to gain ground in the world of computer technology - the era of high-speed devices. SDRam lasted until 2001 and was built into almost all Intel and Celeron products sold.

This type of RAM was replaced by DDRs, which created a real stir. Unlike the previous generation RAMs, their work was accelerated not by doubling the clock frequency, but by transferring data twice in one clock cycle.

But our topic today is not the first Double Data Rate, but the second and third generations of this RAM. Speaking about DDR2, we cannot fail to note the presence of a much faster bus in it, as well as the ability to transmit data on both slices, and simultaneously from four places. In addition, compared to the first generation RAM, DDR2 has a smaller “appetite”, consuming little power and at the same time cooling very quickly.

Main features of DDR2:

The maximum data transmission frequency is 800 MHz (in rare cases, there are models overclocked to 1066 MHz). By the way, the higher this indicator, the faster the information will be processed, therefore, the greater the productivity;

Timing (allows you to determine the delay time of the RAM) - for the model with the maximum clock frequency (533 MHz) this figure is 4-4-4-12.

Power consumption (1 strip) – about 1.8 V;

The maximum possible amount of memory is 16 GB (serial motherboards), less often - 32 GB (mainly server boards).

At one time, second-generation RAM was considered the most effective of the existing options. But technology does not stand still: it was replaced by DDR3, the developers of which did their best, reducing power consumption by an incredible 15%. On the computer components market you can find a modified version of DDR3 marked “L”, indicating an even lower level of power consumption.

Main features of DDR3:

The maximum data transmission frequency is 2400 MHz (there are already models on the market that are overclocked to 3000 MHz);

Timing – for a model with a maximum clock frequency (1200 MHz) this figure is 10-10-10-30.

Power consumption (1 stick) – 1.5 V, in DDR3L varieties – 1.35 V;

The maximum possible amount of memory is not limited (the starting point is 64 GB). Is it true that such figures are in demand? But that's another question.

Again, a modest “appetite” is not the most important thing in DDR3: of course, it’s all about operating efficiency. However, the third generation is no longer the market leader. It was replaced by a new model of RAM type Double Data Rate - DDR4. But today is not about her.

The main differences between these two types of RAM come down to the following points:

Clock frequency– DDR3 RAM boasts a higher speed of 1200 MHz, which is 2 times higher than the second generation RAM (533 MHz).

Bandwidth– for the third generation of RAM (DDR3) it is significantly higher than for the second (DDR2), while the level of energy consumption is very low (it increases slightly when the processor is overclocked).

Physical Configuration– the obvious external difference between the types of RAM under consideration (different slots) also affected compatibility – it is simply absent. Due to the latter feature of the two devices, we do not recommend installing DDR2 and DDR3 on the same motherboard.

ON A NOTE. Today, manufacturers offer users to purchase so-called hybrids, the peculiarity of which, as you can guess from the name, is to combine two types of RAM on one device. Such products have connectors for 2 types of RAM at once. But it is necessary to take into account that they can only be used separately.

Which option should you choose for yourself? It all depends on the characteristics of the computer device, the requirements for RAM speed, and the tasks that will be performed. For most users, DDR2 is an excellent solution that is completely justified. For those who have high demands for such details, it is better to pay attention to DDR3.

Here, once again, I was asked how one can determine the type of RAM by its appearance. Because This question comes up periodically, I decided that it was better to show it once than to explain it a hundred times, and write an illustrated mini-review of types of RAM for PCs.

Not everyone is interested in this, that’s why I’m hiding it under the cat. Read

The most common types of RAM that have been and are used in personal computers are commonly called SIMM, DIMM, DDR, DDR2, DDR3. You are unlikely to see SIMMs and DIMMs anymore, but DDR, DDR2 or DDR3 are now installed in most personal computers. So, in order

SIMM

SIMM for 30 contacts. Used in personal computers with processors from 286 to 486. Now it is already a rarity. SIMM for 72 contacts. This type of memory was of two types: FPM (Fast Page Mode) and EDO (Extended Data Out).

The FPM type was used on computers with 486 processors and the first Pentiums until 1995. Then EDO appeared. Unlike its predecessors, EDO begins fetching the next block of memory at the same time it sends the previous block to the CPU.

Structurally they are identical, they can only be distinguished by markings. Personal computers that supported EDO could also work with FPM, but the opposite was not always the case.

DIMM

This is the name given to the memory type SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM). Starting in 1996, most Intel chipsets began to support this type of memory module, making it very popular until 2001. Most computers with Pentium and Celeron processors used this type of memory.

DDR

DDR (Double Data Rate) was a development of SDRAM. This type of memory module first appeared on the market in 2001. The main difference between DDR and SDRAM is that instead of doubling the clock speed to speed things up, these modules transfer data twice per clock cycle.

DDR2

DDR2 (Double Data Rate 2) is a newer variant of DDR that should theoretically be twice as fast. DDR2 memory first appeared in 2003, and chipsets supporting it appeared in mid-2004. The main difference between DDR2 and DDR is the ability to operate at a significantly higher clock frequency, thanks to improvements in design. In appearance it differs from DDR in the number of contacts: it has increased from 184 (for DDR) to 240 (for DDR2).

DDR3

Like DDR2 memory modules, they are produced in the form of a 240-pin printed circuit board (120 pins on each side of the module), but are not electrically compatible with the latter, and for this reason have a different “key” location.

And finally, there is another type of RAM - RIMM (Rambus). Appeared on the market in 1999. It is based on traditional DRAM, but with a radically changed architecture. This type of RAM did not take root in personal computers and was used very rarely. Such modules were also used in the Sony Playstation 2 and Nintendo 64 game consoles.

SIMM for 30 contacts.

Even if you are new to using a computer, you have still heard such concepts as “RAM”, “RAM”, “DDR”, etc. In this article we will talk about two types of RAM: DDR-2 and DDR-3, we will find out which type is better, and whether it is worth replacing your old RAM with a new one.

Types of RAM

The following types of RAM are currently used in the world: DDR, DDR-2 and DDR-3.

1. DDR- this is the “grandmother” of the RAM world, the era of this memory has long passed, you almost never see it on sale. Now all modern processors and motherboards are produced without DDR support; the main users of this type of memory are people and organizations that do not require powerful computers (for example, to create a home server). By today's standards, the first DDR is already very slow, in addition, its power consumption is noticeably higher than that of newer types of RAM.
2. DDR-2- This is a newer type of memory, but its time has also passed. "DDR-2" is faster than its predecessor and provides an acceptable data transfer speed. These days, this type of RAM is also slowly disappearing from store shelves. Many people still use DDR-2, but are gradually starting to switch to a more advanced type of RAM - DDR-3.
3. DDR-3- this is the most “running” memory these days; it has the highest data transfer speed compared to other types. All modern hardware comes with full support for DDR-3, this type is constantly being improved, and therefore models with higher speeds appear on the market.

Which RAM is better

The most important parameters in RAM performance are several parameters: memory speed and its timings. If we talk about DDR-3, then now there are such frequencies - 1333 MHz, 1600 MHz, 2400 MHz, 2800 MHz. The most inexpensive and accessible models are those with frequencies of 1333 MHz and 1600 MHz.

The fact is that higher speeds may not be supported by some and therefore their purchase is not advisable. For everyday PC use (games, movies, surfing the Internet), RAM with a frequency of 1333 MHz is quite enough; higher speeds are intended for enthusiasts who are willing to spend considerable amounts of money to increase .

It is worth saying that the second DDR is significantly inferior in speed to DDR-3; the fastest DDR-2 memory are models with a frequency of 1066 MHz, while the third starts at 1333 MHz.

Also another important characteristic of RAM is its timings. We won’t dwell on the essence of this concept, but let’s just say that when choosing a new RAM, pay attention not only to its speed, but also to numbers like “9-9-9-27”, “7-7-7-21 " etc. The main thing to know is that the smaller these numbers, the more productive the RAM.

To summarize our article, we can state that in our time the best option would be to buy DDR-3 or DDR-4 memory if you are not limited in finances. This is a modern type of RAM, it is widely used among manufacturers, the speed of this RAM is much higher, as a result of which the overall performance of the PC will be higher.

What to choose - DDR-2 or DDR-3?

If you are currently using a computer with a 2, but want to upgrade, then don’t hesitate to buy a PC with support for a 3 or 4. You will save yourself from many problems in the future (for example, when replacing a processor, since all modern processors support at least a third). DDR-3 is better than DDR-2, it is a more progressive type of memory these days.