# DDR3 vs. DDR2



## EGS

What's the major difference? How much faster is DDR3 than DDR2?..
DDR3 is 1333mhz right? How much faster (in ms maybe?) is 1333mhz than 800mhz?


----------



## FairDoos

EGS said:


> What's the major difference? How much faster is DDR3 than DDR2?..
> DDR3 is 1333mhz right? How much faster (in ms maybe?) is 1333mhz than 800mhz?



Sorry cant really say ive studied it that much myself. All i know is that DDR3 is faster than DDR2 and DDR3 is more furture proof obv. But im sticking with DDR2 because i think DDR3 is a tad over-priced.


----------



## 2048Megabytes

Double Data Rate 3 Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR3 SDRAM) is an improved version of DDR2 SDRAM.  The memory used in desktops personal computers has one notch and also uses 240-pins but is keyed so it cannot fit into DDR2 memory slots.  The internal bus of DDR3 also fetches 4 bits of data per each beat of the system clock cycle.  It has a higher data transfer rate than Double Data Rate 2 memory.  This memory presently (in January 2009) runs at speeds from 800 to 2000 megahertz.

The fastest speeds I can find that Double Data Rate 2 memory runs at is 1200 megahertz.


----------



## konsole

both have a range of numbers that they run at.  Just as an example since I dont know the exact numbers, if ddr2 can run anywhere between 500-1000 mhz then ddr3 can run at 1000-1500 mhz though the exact number that any individual memory stick runs at is fixed somewhere in that range.  Overclocking might be able to change the mhz rating.  The ddr2 with the highest mhz rating is about the same mhz as the slowest ddr3.  I think it might be 1200 or about there were the two meet.


----------



## EGS

So is the performance difference between DDR2 and DDR3 significantly noticeable?
Mostly I multi-task and occasionally game (MMORPGs). Just trying to do some research before building my own..for once.


----------



## 2048Megabytes

Processors are a more significant component over RAM.  What Central Processing Unit are you looking at purchasing?


----------



## lovely?

realistically the highest mhz youll normally find in ddr2 is 1066mhz. the lowest you will find in ddr3 is also 1066mhz.  now does one of these run any faster then the other? some people would say the ddr3 stick but basically no. the ddr3 stick is only different in the fact that it can run in ddr3 boards whereas the ddr2 stick cannot.


----------

