home > A computer > Max ddr4 ram. Practical comparison of DDR3 and DDR4 memory on the Intel LGA1151 platform in terms of performance and power consumption

Max ddr4 ram. Practical comparison of DDR3 and DDR4 memory on the Intel LGA1151 platform in terms of performance and power consumption

Differences between generations of RAM are always quite significant. Last year's release of the DDR4 standard made the server segment and the high-performance desktop somewhat out of the ordinary. Recent announcement of server processors Intel Atom pulled along SO-DIMM DDR4. Everything is ready for a massive attack on the market, not just a debut. Let's study a little theory, refresh our knowledge? Under the cut key differences between DDR3 and DDR4.

physical differences.

Of course, physically planks DDR memory 3 and DDR4 are incompatible. Instead of 240 pins, the “third” - “fourth” has 288 contacts. The increase in the number of contacts is done for the sake of addressing as much as possible more memory. In the maximum version, a DDR4 memory module can have a capacity of 512 gigabytes. The minimum module size is 2 gigabytes.

The connector key is shifted closer to the center. Protection against inattentive users works, protection against inattentive, but very strong users does not exist.

The reference bar height is 31.25 mm, which is slightly higher than its predecessor (30 mm). The length of the bar is the same - 133.35 mm (remind me how many inches this is?), This parameter has not changed since the appearance of the first generation of DDR RAM.

electrical differences.

Instead of the standard supply voltage of 1.5V (1.35V for Haswell), a standard voltage of 1.2V is offered (1.05V for energy-efficient systems). The benefits are obvious: less heat, less power consumption, furthermore: longer battery life.

frequency differences.

If DDR3 standards start at 1066 MHz, then DDR4 starts at 2133 MHz. Formally, the frequency is doubled, but in reality the performance does not double. DDR4 modules with a frequency of 3000 MHz have already been officially released and there are even higher rates, but they are all aimed at enthusiasts and overclockers.

architectural differences.

The most important thing that happened during the transition was the change in the module access architecture. Previously, the Multi-Drop bus had only two channels, and even when working with four memory modules, they hung in pairs on one channel, which did not always have a positive effect on performance.

The new bus with the original name Point-to-Point will connect each channel to one memory module. That is, if the processor has a dual-channel memory controller, two slots will be available, and if there is a four-channel one, four. You tell me, what about boards with 8 memory slots? For them, digital switches are used - similar in meaning to those that branch the lines PCI Express. In this way, RAM switches to parallel access.

Another important point is the change in the organization of memory chips. With equal volume, a DDR4 chip will have twice as many memory banks and memory lines four times shorter. This suggests that new standard will switch between banks much faster than DDR3.

In short, these are all the key differences between the two generations of DDR3 and DDR4 RAM, how does this translate into practice? Whether there are tangible differences in performance - we will find out in the following posts. Stay with us.

We checked what new DDR4 RAM modules differ from the previously used DDR3 memory modules and how they are more efficient than the previous generation of equipment.

First DDR4 memory information appeared in 2008. Then it was assumed that it would hit stores within five years and very quickly gain more popularity than DDR3 memory.

However, it soon became clear that the memory used had a very high potential for development, and a quick transition to a new standard did not make sense. Therefore, although computer companies showed their DDR4 memory models at various exhibitions several years ago, due to the lack of supporting platforms, there was no possibility of its practical application. Everything has changed in the last year. DDR3 memory has reached its limit.

End of the era of DDR3 memory

Although modules with DDR-2400, DDR-2800, and even faster frequencies are available on the market, further acceleration turned out to be almost impossible. True, some manufacturers managed to get a higher clock frequency, but the creation of such memory modules on a mass scale was unprofitable and practically impossible.

Constant acceleration of the existing type of RAM is impractical - power consumption increases significantly and fault tolerance decreases. The solution to these problems turned out to be just DDR4 memory modules, which have much more opportunities for increasing performance, while consuming much less energy.

Do we need new DDR4 memory modules

Yes, and not only because of the speed. The first models of the new type of memory do not have better performance than the modules of the previous generation.

When one technology reaches its limits, and the second is just entering the market, we cannot notice the difference in speed between them. In this case, it is not performance that matters, but perspective. new technology. Therefore, already now, when upgrading a computer, it is worth thinking about choosing a platform compatible with a new type of memory.

At the next replacement of components, we will be able to apply the modules of the new generation. If after some time we realize that the memory used is too slow or not enough capacity, then we will not have problems buying more powerful components - otherwise it is the case with DDR3 memory, which has reached its limit and will slowly leave the market.

One of strengths DDR4 memory is its energy efficiency. Currently, the vast majority of computers sold are laptops, tablets and convertible devices. Most important feature of such equipment is its performance and operating time without recharging, which, in turn, depends on energy consumption.

Is it worth it to change the memory to DDR4?

So far, there is no such dilemma, because a platform that supports both types of memory is not yet available. Therefore, replacing the memory will replace the entire platform. However, we should expect motherboards that support both types of memory to appear soon.

Is it worth it then change DDR3 memory to DDR4? If choose new computer in view of future modernization, it would be useful to consider this possibility. Of course, then initially we will spend more, but this will make it easier to upgrade the computer in the future.

A new kind of memory modules

Minor changes have taken place in appearance memory module. True, its length and thickness are the same as in the case of DDR3, however, an experienced eye will notice that the new modules are a millimeter higher, and have 284 instead of 240 pins.

In addition, the contacts in the central part of the module are taller than those at its edges. Due to this, the installation of memory will require the use of less effort. The position of indents in the module has also changed. This procedure prevents the memory from being placed in an unsuitable slot, such as one for DDR3 memory modules.

Greater DDR4 speed

Currently on the market you can find mostly DDR3 memory at frequencies of 1333 and 1600 M/s (millions of operations per second), and modules intended for enthusiasts reach frequencies of the order of 2400 or 2866 M/s.

In the case of DDR4, these parameters will be better, and operation at the level of 2400 M/s will become practically the standard. The JEDEC standard so far assumes the creation of DDR4 memory at speeds from 1600 to 3200 M/s, but modules of the 4166 M/s level have already been announced.

Big delays

An increase in memory speed always entails an increase in delays, expressed in cycles of time. The situation will be similar this time. The JEDEC standard stipulates that the standard CAS latency for DDR4-2400 memory will be 15 cycles (for DDR3-1600 it was 10 cycles).

However, keep in mind that the delays do not actually change. To verify this, it is enough to make a simple calculation. A memory speed of 1600 M/s means its actual clock frequency is 00 MHz. This means that one cycle lasts 1/800,000,0000 seconds. In this case, the delay, expressed in 10 cycles, is 12.5 nanoseconds. After performing the corresponding calculations for a memory of 2400 M/s and 15 cycles, we will get an identical result.

Large memory capacity

The largest DDR3 modules have a capacity of 8 GB. With DDR4 memory, a capacity of 32 GB can be easily reached. Assuming that on the standard motherboard four memory modules can be placed, which means that soon the creation of a computer equipped with 128 GB of RAM will be a reality.

Performance difference

Even if there is a large difference in transfer rates between two modules, there will be little or no performance change in most programs.

See the benefits of using more fast memory will only be possible when using the most demanding applications and games.

Less energy consumption

DDR3 needs 1.5V while DDR4 only needs 1.2V. According to manufacturers, this change in voltage should provide energy savings of 30%. In practice, the savings are somewhat lower, however, thanks to the use of several innovations, it was possible to achieve the desired floor.

They helped, including changing the type of signaling and using DBI, that is, the memory bus inversion method. It lies in the fact that if in a particular data line most of the information is zeros, they are replaced by ones, and the dedicated controller perceives the data line as inverted.

This allows the transistors to turn on and off less frequently, resulting in lower power consumption and improved signal stability.

The JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, formerly known as the Electron Devices Engineering Council (JEDEC), is an independent engineering, semiconductor trade, and standards body.
For over 50 years, JEDEC has been a world leader in the development of open standards and publications for the microelectronics industry.

The standardizing organization JEDEC Solid State Technology Association has presented the official final version of the Synchronous DDR4 (Double Data Rate 4) RAM standard specification.

Its introduction is to provide a new level of RAM performance, reliability and reduced power consumption.

DDR4 memory includes a number of modern advances that will allow a new type of memory to be widely used in computing devices - from household appliances to servers and even more powerful computer systems.

The per-socket performance level in DDR4 is set at 1.6 billion transfers per second, with the possibility of reaching a maximum level of 3.2 billion / s in the future.
The minimum operating frequency of DDR4 memory is 2133 MHz to 4266 MHz, which is 1000 MHz more than its predecessor (1333 MHz and 1666 MHz in the previous generation standard).

For 2133 MHz memory (the lowest frequency for DDR4 memory), the maximum bandwidth will be 2133 x 8 = 17064 MB/s.
For 4266 MHz memory (the highest frequency defined in the standard), the maximum bandwidth will be 4266 x 8 = 34128 MB/s.

The operating voltage is reduced: 1.1 V - 1.2 V versus 1.5 V in DDR3.
Estimated technical process - 32 and 36 nm.

The DDR4 architecture allows prefetching of 8 bits of data per cycle (8n prefetch) with two or four selectable groups of memory blocks.
This allows devices to perform independent activation, read, write, and update operations through separate memory blocks.

All of these features, as well as a number of smaller changes and innovations, have significantly improved the efficiency of DDR4 memory.

A DDR4 module has 284 pins while standard DDR3 modules only have 240 pins.
The SO-DIMM version will feature 256 pins, while the DDR3 SO-DIMMs only have 204 pins.

For the first time, the description of working with memory in a multi-chip package appeared in the DDR4 specifications.
The standard allows a column (stack) of eight crystals.
Moreover, all crystals are "hung" on common signal lines.
This was done not because it is better this way (although it really simplifies the actions to expand the memory space), but for the reasons that, in general, the ideology of DDR4 memory operation is the connection of modules with controllers in a point-to-point manner.

There will be many channels, not two or four, so each of them needs to provide the highest possible performance without overloading the exchange mechanisms.
In the same vein, one should consider the possibility of independent simultaneous operation of two or four memory banks.
For each group of banks, all basic operations, such as reading, writing and regeneration, are architecturally allowed at the same time.

According to iSuppli's forecast, by 2014 the level of penetration into the market of DDR4 memory will be 12%, by 2015 - 56%.
However, manufacturers may be rushing to start implementing the new standard, motivated by a desire to raise prices for their products, which are currently at extremely low levels.

Micron, for example, announced the development of the first full-featured module back in May and plans to start mass production of them at the end of this year.
Samsung has already demonstrated 284-pin PC4-17000 memory (2133 MHz).
It remains only to wait for their support from Intel and AMD.

Intel plans to start DDR4 support in early 2014 in high-end 4-socket server systems based on Haswell-EX processors, while ordinary users will probably have to wait until 2015, since neither the 22nm Haswell processors nor the subsequent 14nm Broadwell processors DDR4 support is not provided.

The DDR4 standard is just one of the first steps on the way to the next generation of memory everywhere.

Applications for DDR4 memory include servers, laptops, desktop PCs, and consumer electronics products.
Initially, DDR4 will appear in server systems, and after that mass production of such memory for consumer computers will start.

NVIDIA GeForce Experience has been updated to version 3.20.2

On December 23, 2019, NVIDIA updated NVIDIA GeForce Experience (GFE) for Windows to version 3.20.2.
The update fixes the dangerous vulnerability CVE-2019-5702.

Perhaps Microsoft will make life easier for Windows 10 users

According to insider WalkingCat, Microsoft plans to radically change the update scheme for its operating system. Windows systems 10.

DDR4 SDRAM is the latest JEDEC memory standard. It provides more high level performance, with lower power consumption and greater reliability than DDR3.

JEDEC started work on DDR4 back in 2005, with a final specification in September 2012. Samsung released the first prototype DDR4 modules at the end of 2010, and the first sample of 16GB DDR4 module in July 2012. The first to support DDR4 memory were released with Intel chipset X99, in August 2014.

DDR4 SDRAM modules use the Pseudo Open Drain (POD) interface (previously used in high performance graphics DRAM) and operate at a lower voltage of 1.2V (versus 1.5V for DDR3). This allows DDR4 modules to consume 40% less total power than previous modules. This saves energy and generates less heat. And also, DDR4, to improve system reliability, supports cyclic redundancy check (CRC) recording.

The 288-pin DDR4 SDRAM module is 1mm longer and 1mm taller than the 240-pin DDR3/DDR2 modules. This was achieved by creating individual pins only 0.85 mm wide. Which is smaller than the 1mm pins used on previous modules. Approximately halfway between the edge and the central notch, the DDR4 SDRAM modules do not bend much. Which, for ease of installation, makes the outer pins at the center cutout shorter than the pins. Due to use different sizes and signals, DDR4 modules are physically and electrically incompatible with previous memory modules and socket designs.

DDR4 modules were available at 1600 MHz (effective) and above. Currently, with speeds up to 3,200 MHz (effective). As is the case with DDR, and DDR3, true clock frequency is half the effective speed, which is technically expressed in millions of transfers per second (MTps). The table below shows the official JEDEC-approved DDR4 module types and their throughput specifications.

JEDEC Standard DDR4 Modules (260-pin DIMM) Speeds and Transfer Rates

Module type	Chip type	Base clock	Cycle time	Cycles through time	Bus speed	Tire width	Baud rate module	Dual channel Data rate
PC4-12800	DDR4-1600	800MHz	1.25ns	2	1,600MTps	8 bytes	12,800MBps	25,600MBps
PC4-14900	DDR4-1866	933MHz	1.07ns	2	1,866MTps	8 bytes	14,933MBps	29.866MBps
PC4-17000	DDR4-2133	1066MHz	0.94ns	2	2.133MTps	8 bytes	17.066MBps	34.133MBps
PC4-19200	DDR4-2400	1.200MHz	0.83ns	2	2,400MTps	8 bytes	19,200MBps	38,400MBps
PC4-21300	DDR4-2666	1.333MHz	0.75ns	2	2,666MTps	8 bytes	21.333MBps	42.666MBps
PC4-25600	DDR4-3200	1.600MHz	0.63ns	2	3,200MTps	8 bytes	25,600MBps	51,200MBps

DDR = Double Data Rate
MHz = million cycles per second
MTps = million transfers per second
Mbps = million bytes per second
NS = nanoseconds (billionths of a second)

Technically, the DDR4 topology is not a bus, as was used in DDR3 and earlier memory standards. Instead, DDR4 SDRAM uses a point-to-point connection, where each channel in the memory controller is connected to one module.

Typically, you can find DDR4 modules in CL12 - CL16 ratings.

RDRAM

Rambus DRAM (RDRAM) is a non-JEDEC proprietary memory technology that was used primarily in some Intel-based Pentium III and 4 systems from 2000 to 2002. These systems are almost never used today.

The appearance on the market of DDR4 RAM shook the unshakable position of its predecessor. It has higher technical characteristics and many users have a natural question, which RAM bar is better? Numerous tests and comparisons of the fourth generation of RAM with DDR3 show what is the difference between them. When choosing a DDR3 memory module, please note that it does not have DDR4 compatibility.

Computer is one of the components that is responsible for its performance: the speed of information processing and the maximum amount of data processed in this moment. Until 2015, third-generation DDR3 RAM firmly held the first position, but with the advent of DDR4, the situation began to change towards the latest modification. The advent of fourth-generation RAM caused a big stir in the market computer technology, at the same time, a logical question arose, which is better than DDR3 or DDR4 and whether the appearance latest model normal marketing ploy?

History of DDR4 development

JEDEK started developing the fourth-generation RAM back in 2005, when DDR2 was the most modern modification. The company's engineers already at that time realized that the second generation of RAM would not be able to meet the requirements of rapidly developing processors and other PC components. Even the announced release of the third-generation RAM will not be able to fully cope with the task. To solve the problem, it is not enough to simply increase the speed of data processing, as was done in DDR3. It is necessary to take into account parameters such as power consumption and volume, which affect the throughput of the device.

Attention! To work with specialized programs: packages for three-dimensional design, photo or video editors, the main parameter for choosing RAM is its bandwidth, i.e., the speed of information processing.

In 2015, with the advent of Socket LGA1151 platforms on the market, PC users had the opportunity to compare third and fourth generation RAM under the same conditions.

Specifications

Before saying what is better than DDR3 or DDR4 and comparing them, you should familiarize yourself in detail with their technical characteristics and capabilities, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. This approach will allow you to correctly and accurately determine the future of memory modules and identify a promising sample.

DDR3

The main characteristics for RAM, regardless of its generation, are the following characteristics:

Frequency. The RAM of the third model is available with a frequency of 1066 MHz, 1333 MHz and 1600 MHz, and the latest modification has 1866 MHz. By overclocking the memory, its frequency can be increased to 2400 - 2666 MHz. The maximum value of this parameter during overclocking, which was obtained in laboratory conditions, is 4620 MHz.
Voltage. Power consumption varies in the range of 1.5 - 1.8 V. latest version DDR3L is capable of operating at a low voltage of 1.25 - 1.35 V. Index L means Low Power (from English - low power).
Downtime. To determine the performance of a memory bar, one of the important parameters is timings or latency (CL), i.e., the delay in the transfer of information. DDR3 1600 MHz has a delay of 9 cycles, it takes 1 second to get the temporary value. divided by 1600 million cycles and we get 0.625 ms per 1 cycle. We multiply the result by 9 cycles and get 5.625 ns. Then multiply by 2 (the number of data streams) and the delay time is 11.25 ns.

Advice. The latency value can be determined from the marking of the RAM after the letters CL. Accordingly, the smaller its value, the higher the performance of the device.

DDR4

4th generation RAM has more high parameters specifications, due to which it bypasses its predecessor.

Comparison of DDR3 and DDR4

Based on the technical characteristics, it can be seen that the delay time of DDR4 is higher than that of its predecessor. However, when reading data linearly or storing them due to practically unchanged timings, this difference is compensated, and the RAM of the fourth model wins. When working in multi-threaded mode, due to lower latency, DDR3 wins within the statistical error. When compressing large files (1.5 GB and above), the time spent per operation for DDR4 is 3% less than for DDR3. The third generation RAM specification provides for the use of Vddr voltage. When carrying out energy-intensive operations, it is increased by built-in converters, thereby abundant heat radiation occurs. The DDR4 module receives its required voltage from an external power supply (Vpp).

The Pseudo-Open Draid technology is implemented in the RAM of the fourth model, it made it possible to completely eliminate current leakage, which was observed in previous version where Series-Stub Terminated Logic is used. The use of this interface for data input and output has reduced energy consumption by up to 30%. As for the amount of DDR4 memory, the minimum value is 4 GB, and for DDR3 it is optimal because the maximum is 8 GB. The structure of the third generation RAM allows you to place up to 8 memory banks with a string length of 2048 bytes. The latest modification of the RAM has 16 banks and a line length of 512 bytes, which increases the speed of switching between lines and banks.

From a comparison of DDR3 and DDR4, we can conclude that the latest generation of RAM outperforms its predecessor in almost all respects, but this difference is hardly noticeable for regular user. DDR3L 1600MHz combined with Intel Core i5 is practically not inferior to DDR4. 4th generation RAM is recommended for modern games or work in specialized programs that require a large amount of memory and high data processing speed.