DDR memory, or Double Data Rate memory, is a new high performance
type of memory that runs at twice the speed of normal SDRAM. This
DDR SDRAM is ideally suited to the latest high performance processors
to increase overall system speed. The faster the memory, the quicker
instructions can be passed to the processor. DDR memory provides
roughly a 15% boost in performance compared to regular SDRAM. With
DDR memory now in the affordable price range, and motherboard manufacturers
phasing out SDRAM on nearly every new board, it looks like DDR is
definitely here to stay. Even corporate giant Intel dumped the once-all-mighty
RAMBUS, and opted for integration of DDR support into their chipsets
and motherboards, only to join forces and rise to power with the
P4. Memory manufacturers are doing a good job of producing high-quality
RAM for demanding systems and the ever-changing industry.
DDR
memory is the latest in high-performance memory module technological
advances. It offers twice the data bandwidth of conventional PC100
or PC133 SDRAM, and is particularly well suited for high-performance
servers and workstations, which need optimal CPU-memory performance.
Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM (AKA SDRAMII) is precisely what the
name implies. A clock cycle can be represented as a square wave,
with the rising edge defined as the transition from "0"
to "1", and the falling edge as "1" to "0".
In SDRAM, only one of these wave edges is used, but DDR SDRAM
references both, effectively doubling the rate of data transmission.
Unlike
168-pin SDRAM, DDR SDRAM utilizes a 184-pin plug. Although the
basic motherboard technology does not need to be changed, DDR
SDRAM is not backward compatible on motherboards designed for
SDRAM.
DDR SDRAM? Why not SDRAM alone?
DDR
memory has 184 pins, where as SDRAM has 168 pins.
DDR Memory is a new type of SDRAM that is able to double the read
/ write speed of the previous generation of SDRAM memory. There
are currently 2 speeds offered - 200MHz (Called PC1600 - because
it is able to transfer 1600Mbit / sec) and the newer 266MHz (Called
PC2100 - because it is able to transfer 2100Mbit / sec). These DIMMs
are 184 Pin in size and are not interchangeable with older SDRAM
modules.
During the 90s, there was a sudden shift in the PC market towards
the Athlon and Duron, Durron can be attributed to AMD's lower costs
when compared to its primary competitor, Intel. The Pentium III
processor which Intel had on the market at the time of this shift
in market share did not appear as leading-edge as the Athlon or
the Duron. In recent reviews on the web, as well as in the traditional
printed medium, the Intel Pentium III and the Celeron processors
were found to be slower in certain benchmarks (when compared alongside
the same MHz clocked AMD Athlon and its lesser priced Duron). With
these encouraging reviews and strong performance showings, along
with the quick acceptance towards its cpu's from the buying public
in a matter of months, AMD was able to gain a very strong following
with its processors. This shift was attributed primarily to its
aggressively priced products and its very strong performance. Another
reason for Intel's slip in the PC market can be attributed to its
own insistence in pushing the technology envelope unto its consumers.
This happened whether the customer was willing to accept the latest
advancements or not. Mainly this revolved around a deal Intel had
signed with Rambus Ram so that would develop its chipsets and processors
to work alongside Rambus Ram technology exclusively. This new partnership
encountered a few major setbacks. First there was resistance by
the general buying public and small businesses due to Rambus's extremely
high memory costs. Another incident which really hurt Intel's future
share of the marketplace was their i820 chipset. This
chipset which was originally developed to support only RDRAM (Rambus
RAM), was found to have a bug in its design when matched with an
MTH (Memory Translation Hub), that allowed the use of SDRAM, which
would ultimately cause serious data corruption or loss in certain
circumstances.
This
major technological gaffe coincided with the sudden shortage of
higher-clocked CPU's such as the 1.0GHz which Intel made available
only to its select few major Tier-1 OEM PC manufacturers (ie. Gateway,
Dell, Compaq). This caused a major public relations fiasco for the
once solidly-designed CPU/chipset technology firm.
AMD
stepped in at the right time with a large and steady supply of its
processors. The PC market was ready for faster CPU's and AMD was
more than able to produce them in high yields. AMD was able to provide
faster clocked processors to the buying public much quicker than
its competitor, Intel. Intel did not have, nor could it produce
Pentium III's in large quantities at the time. This allowed AMD
to continue grabbing a larger share of the processor market that
was once owned exclusively by Intel.
Now
that AMD was considered a major competitor to Intel in the processor
market, VIA a Taiwanese chipset manufacturer developed a much more
stable chipset. The less expensive chipset supported AMD cpu's and
were able to offer features which Intel's own aging BX chipsets
weren't able to provide. Intel's i820 couldn't survive long enough
for the general public to purchase or accept: PC100/ PC133 SDRAM;
ATA 66/ ATA 100; 4x AGP support.
VIA
soon replaced their original AMD-only KX133 chipset, and improved
upon its design with their current KT133A chipset which supports
the newer Athlon's running at 200MHz or 266MHz FSB (Front Side Bus).
As
mentioned earlier, AMD wanted to specify a new type of RAM which
would provide a higher memory bandwidth when compared to the current
bandwidth limited SDRAM platform - enter DDRAM. DDR
Memory is a new type of SDRAM that is able to double the read /
write speed of the previous generation of SDRAM memory. There are
currently 2 speeds offered - 200MHz (Called PC1600 - because it
is able to transfer 1600Mbit / sec) and the newer 266MHz (Called
PC2100 - because it is able to transfer 2100Mbit / sec). These DIMMs
are 184 Pin in size and are not interchangeable with older SDRAM
modules.
DDR
memory can only be used in systems designed specifically for DDR
memory
instructions can be passed to the processor. DDR memory provides
roughly a 15% boost in performance compared to regular SDRAM. With
DDR memory now in the affordable price range, and motherboard manufacturers
phasing out SDRAM on nearly every new board, it looks like DDR is
definitely here to stay. Even corporate giant Intel dumped the once-all-mighty
RAMBUS, and opted for integration of DDR support into their chipsets
and motherboards, only to join forces and rise to power with the
P4. Memory manufacturers are doing a good job of producing high-quality
RAM for demanding systems and the ever-changing industry.