MEMORIES

Computer Systems

Memory - the area of a computer that holds

data that is waiting to be processed, stored, or
output

RAM
ROM
Virtual

DIMM, RIMM, and SO-RIMM

RAM is usually configured as a series of DIPs

soldered onto a small circuit board called

DIMM (Dual In-line Memory Module)
RIMM (Rambus In-line Memory Module)
Used for processors faster than 1 GHz

SO-RIMM (Small Outline Rambus In-line Memory

Module)

SDRAM
is dynamic random access memory
(DRAM) that is synchronized with the
system bus

DDR SDRAM

DDR SDRAM
SDRAM by double pumping (transferring data on the

rising and falling edges of the clock signal) without

increasing the clock frequency.
With data being transferred 64 bits at a time, DDR
SDRAM gives a transfer rate of (memory bus clock
rate) 2 (for dual rate) 64 (number of bits
transferred) / 8 (number of bits/byte). Thus with a bus
frequency of 100 MHz, DDR SDRAM gives a
maximum transfer rate of 1600 MB/s.

DDR Specification
Standard Memory
name
clock

Cycle
time

Data
I/O bus transfers
clock
per
second

JEDEC
standard
VDDQ
voltage

DDR-200

100 MHz

10 ns[2]

100 MHz

200 Million

2.50.2 V

PC-1600

1600 MB/s

DDR-266

133 MHz

7.5 ns

133 MHz

266 Million

2.50.2 V

PC-2100

2100 MB/s

DDR-333

166 MHz

6 ns

166 MHz

333 Million

2.50.2 V

PC-2700

2700 MB/s

DDR-400

200 MHz

5 ns

200 MHz

400 Million

2.60.1 V

PC-3200

3200 MB/s

Module
name

Peak
transfer
rate

PC3200 256MB DDR SDRAM

DDR II
Normal DDR limitations at higher frequencies:
Signal integrity
Power Consumption
DDR2 Addresses these challenges by:
Operating voltage is reduced from 2.5V to 1.8V
Reduced core operating frequency
Core frequency = 1/2 the I/O frequency

Special New Features:

4-bit pre-fetch
On-die termination
Off-chip driver calibration

DDR Evolution

DDR and DDR-II

4-bit Pre-fetch
DDR2 SDRAM achieves

high-speed operation by 4bit prefetch architecture.

In 4-bit prefetch
architecture, DDR2
SDRAM can read/write
4 times the amount of
data as an external bus
from/to the memory cell
array for every clock, and
can be operated 4 times
faster than the internal
bus operation frequency.

Corsair 512MB DDR2-533 PC2-4200 DDR2

SDRAM CL4 240-pin DIMM

PC1066 533MHZ RAMBUS RDRAM

DDR2 SDRAMS
DDR2 DIMMs are not designed to be
backward compatible with DDR DIMMs.
Faster DDR2 DIMMs are compatible with
slower DDR2 DIMMs; however, the faster
module runs at the slower module's
speed.

DDR3 RAM
With data being transferred 64 bits at a time per

memory module, DDR3 SDRAM gives a transfer

rate of (memory clock rate) 4 (for bus clock
multiplier) 2 (for data rate) 64 (number of
bits transferred) / 8 (number of bits/byte). Thus
with a memory clock frequency of 100 MHz,
DDR3 SDRAM gives a maximum transfer rate of
6400 MB/s.

DDR,DDR2 & DDR3 Comparisons

Memory

Real Clock

Maximum Theoretical
Transfer Rate

Memory Module

DDR333

166 MHz

2,666 MB/s

PC-2700

DDR400

200 MHz

3,200 MB/s

PC-3200

DDR2-533

266 MHz

4,266 MB/s

PC2-4200

DDR2-667

333 MHz

5,333 MB/s

PC2-5300

DDR2-800

400 MHz

6,400 MB/s

PC2-6400

DDR2-1066

533 MHz

8,533 MB/s

PC2-8500

DDR3-800

400 MHz

6,400 MB/s

PC3-6400

DDR3-1066

533 MHz

8,500 MB/s

PC3-8500

DDR3-1333

666 MHz

10,666 MB/s

PC3-10600

DDR3-1600

800 MHz

12,800 MB/s

PC3-12800

DDR3 Specifications
Standard
name

Memory
clock (MHz)

Cycle time
(ns)

I/O bus clock

(MHz)

Data rate
(MT/s)

Module
name

Peak transfer
rate (MB/s)

DDR3-800D
DDR3-800E

100

10

400

800

PC3-6400

6400

DDR3-1066E
DDR3-1066F
DDR3-1066G

133

7 12

533

1066

PC3-8500

8533

DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 for Desktop PCs

SDRAM Types Comparisons

Technology
SDRAM
DDR
DDR2
DDR3

Typical Voltage
3.3V
2.5 V
1.8 V
1.5 V

SDRAM Types Comparisons

Technology
SDRAM
DDR
DDR2
DDR3

No. of Pins
168
184
240
240

DDR Types Comparisons

DDR chips use TSOP packaging

DDR2 & DDR3 chips use BGA packaging

MDDR
MDDR is an acronym that some enterprises

use for Mobile DDR SDRAM, a type of

memory used in some portable electronic
devices, like mobile phones, handhelds, and
digital audio players. While standard DDR
SDRAM operates at a voltage of 2.5 V,
MDDR operates at voltage of 1.8 V, which
allows a reduced power consumption.

ROM
ROM: (Read Only Memory)

Non-volatile: remembers data

even without power.
Begins executing when
computer is initially turned on
(booted)
ROM BIOS: (Basic InputOutput System) has instructions
that tell the computer how to
access the disk drives, find the
operating system, and load it
into RAM.

Virtual Memory
The computers ability to use the

hard disk to simulate RAM

Occurs when available RAM is
running low
Multitasking often uses virtual
memory
The operating system moves leastused data to the hard drive to free
RAM for another task

TASK: 1/4llustration Board (By Group)

DDR SPECIFICATIONS Brand & Model
DDR

Bus clock

DDR2

Module Name

DDR3

Standard Name
TR
picture