What Is DDR SO-DIMM Memory?

Purchasing memory for your new computer can be a nerve-racking experience as you struggle through long lists of mysterious acronyms trying to discover which memory type fits your computer.

DDR

DDR stands for Double Data Rate and it is a technological feature that doubles the speed at which data can be retrieved from memory. There are multiple versions of DDR, such as DDR, DDR2 and DDR3.

DIMM

DIMM stands for Dual Inline Memory Module. The alternative to DIMM is SIMM, which stands for Single Inline Memory Module, which must be installed in pairs to function. However, most modern computers use DIMM memory.

SO-DIMM

The SO in SO-DIMM stands for Small Outline. SO-DIMM is a smaller version of the DIMM chip which has either 72 or 144 connector pins, as opposed to the 168 connector pins of a full-size DIMM chip.

SO-DIMM Purpose

Because of its smaller size, SO-DIMM memory is commonly used in notebook computers.

Nonlaptop Uses

Some desktop computers that are intended to have a small desk footprint, such as the Apple iMac, also use SO-DIMM memory.

References

• Webopedia: DDR-SDRAM
• Webopedia: DIMM
• Webopedia: SO-DIMM