DDR3 Memory Compatibility
DDR3 is a relatively new type of synchronous dynamic random access memory that shares similarities with its predecessors. It is compatible only with computers that are also newer, and forcing it into an incompatible system can damage the memory and computer.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
DDR3 SDRAM memory became available in 2007. Prior to that, computers frequently relied on DDR or DDR2 memory modules. DDR memory experienced a particularly long life in the early to mid-2000s.
Design
-
DD3 memory has a similar design to its predecessors, DDR and DDR2; however, it has more contact points, known as pins, along the bottom of the memory chip. Furthermore, all three types of memory have notches that align with the memory slot in a computer motherboard and the notch in DD3 memory is in a different place than the notches in both DDR and DDR2 memory chips. Because of this, all three types of DDR memory require different memory slots.
-
Power
-
Another factor that prevents DDR3 memory from being backward compatible is power consumption. DDR3 memory requires 1.5V power while DDR2 and DDR modules rely on 1.8V and 2.5V power, respectively.
Benefits
-
According to OCModShop, DDR3 memory is two times faster than DDR2 memory, which already has the potential to be twice as fast as original DDR memory. Systems using DDR3 memory will be able to run faster and process more-demanding tasks such as graphic intensive games.
Misconceptions
-
DDR3 memory is not compatible with the Xbox 360 video came console. This system uses similarly named GDDR3 memory but it is not related nor does it function in a similar manner to DD3 memory.
-
References
- Photo Credit Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
