In computing, double data rate (DDR) describes a computer bus that transfers data on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal and hence doubles the memory bandwidth by transferring data twice per clock cycle. [1] [2] [3] This is also known as double pumped, dual-pumped, and double transition. The term toggle mode is used in the context of NAND flash memory.
The simplest way to design a clocked electronic circuit is to make it perform one transfer per full cycle (rise and fall) of a clock signal. This, however, requires that the clock signal changes twice per transfer, while the data lines change at most once per transfer. When operating at a high bandwidth, signal integrity limitations constrain the clock frequency.[ citation needed ] By using both edges of the clock, the data signals operate with the same limiting frequency, thereby doubling the data transmission rate.
This technique has been used for microprocessor front-side busses, Ultra-3 SCSI, expansion buses (AGP, PCI-X [4] ), graphics memory (GDDR), main memory (both RDRAM and DDR1 through DDR5), and the HyperTransport bus on AMD's Athlon 64 processors. It is more recently being used for other systems with high data transfer speed requirements – as an example, for the output of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). [5]
DDR should not be confused with dual channel, in which each memory channel accesses two RAM modules simultaneously. The two technologies are independent of each other and many motherboards use both, by using DDR memory in a dual channel configuration.
An alternative to double or quad pumping is to make the link self-clocking. This tactic was chosen by InfiniBand and PCI Express.
Describing the bandwidth of a double-pumped bus can be confusing. Each clock edge is referred to as a beat , with two beats (one upbeat and one downbeat) per cycle. Technically, the hertz is a unit of cycles per second, but many people refer to the number of transfers per second. Careful usage generally talks about "500 MHz, double data rate" or "1000 MT/s", but many refer casually to a "1000 MHz bus," even though no signal cycles faster than 500 MHz.
DDR SDRAM popularized the technique of referring to the bus bandwidth in megabytes per second, the product of the transfer rate and the bus width in bytes. DDR SDRAM operating with a 100 MHz clock is called DDR-200 (after its 200 MT/s data transfer rate), and a 64-bit (8-byte) wide DIMM operated at that data rate is called PC-1600, after its 1600 MB/s peak (theoretical) bandwidth. Likewise, 12.8 GB/s transfer rate DDR3-1600 is called PC3-12800.
Some examples of popular designations of DDR modules:
| Names | Memory clock | I/O bus clock | Transfer rate | Theoretical bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDR-200, PC-1600 | 100 MHz | 100 MHz | 200 MT/s | 1.6 GB/s |
| DDR-400, PC-3200 | 200 MHz | 200 MHz | 400 MT/s | 3.2 GB/s |
| DDR2-800, PC2-6400 | 200 MHz | 400 MHz | 800 MT/s | 6.4 GB/s |
| DDR3-1600, PC3-12800 | 200 MHz | 800 MHz | 1600 MT/s | 12.8 GB/s |
| DDR4-2400, PC4-19200 | 300 MHz | 1200 MHz | 2400 MT/s | 19.2 GB/s |
| DDR4-3200, PC4-25600 | 400 MHz | 1600 MHz | 3200 MT/s | 25.6 GB/s |
| DDR5-4800, PC5-38400 | 300 MHz | 2400 MHz | 4800 MT/s | 38.4 GB/s |
| DDR5-6400, PC5-51200 | 400 MHz | 3200 MHz | 6400 MT/s | 51.2 GB/s |
DDR SDRAM uses double-data-rate signalling only on the data lines. Address and control signals are still sent to the DRAM once per clock cycle (to be precise, on the rising edge of the clock), and timing parameters such as CAS latency are specified in clock cycles. Some less common DRAM interfaces, notably LPDDR2, GDDR5 and XDR DRAM, send commands and addresses using double data rate. DDR5 uses two 7-bit double data rate command/address buses to each DIMM, where a registered clock driver chip converts to a 14-bit SDR bus to each memory chip.
Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory is a double data rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) class of memory integrated circuits used in computers. DDR SDRAM, also retroactively called DDR1 SDRAM, has been superseded by DDR2 SDRAM, DDR3 SDRAM, DDR4 SDRAM and DDR5 SDRAM. None of its successors are forward or backward compatible with DDR1 SDRAM, meaning DDR2, DDR3, DDR4 and DDR5 memory modules will not work on DDR1-equipped motherboards, and vice versa.
Synchronous dynamic random-access memory is any DRAM where the operation of its external pin interface is coordinated by an externally supplied clock signal.
A DIMM, or Dual In-Line Memory Module, is a popular type of memory module used in computers. It is a printed circuit board with one or both sides holding DRAM chips and pins. The vast majority of DIMMs are standardized through JEDEC standards, although there are proprietary DIMMs. DIMMs come in a variety of speeds and sizes, but generally are one of two lengths - PC which are 133.35 mm (5.25 in) and laptop (SO-DIMM) which are about half the size at 67.60 mm (2.66 in).
Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), and its successors Concurrent Rambus DRAM (CRDRAM) and Direct Rambus DRAM (DRDRAM), are types of synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) developed by Rambus from the 1990s through to the early 2000s. The third-generation of Rambus DRAM, DRDRAM was replaced by XDR DRAM. Rambus DRAM was developed for high-bandwidth applications and was positioned by Rambus as replacement for various types of contemporary memories, such as SDRAM.
Double Data Rate 2 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory is a double data rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) interface. It is a JEDEC standard (JESD79-2); first published in September 2003. DDR2 succeeded the original DDR SDRAM specification, and was itself succeeded by DDR3 SDRAM in 2007. DDR2 DIMMs are neither forward compatible with DDR3 nor backward compatible with DDR.
Column address strobe latency, also called CAS latency or CL, is the delay in clock cycles between the READ command and the moment data is available. In asynchronous DRAM, the interval is specified in nanoseconds. In synchronous DRAM, the interval is specified in clock cycles. Because the latency is dependent upon a number of clock ticks instead of absolute time, the actual time for an SDRAM module to respond to a CAS event might vary between uses of the same module if the clock rate differs.
In the fields of digital electronics and computer hardware, multi-channel memory architecture is a technology that increases the data transfer rate between the DRAM memory and the memory controller by adding more channels of communication between them. Theoretically, this multiplies the data rate by exactly the number of channels present. Dual-channel memory employs two channels. The technique goes back as far as the 1960s having been used in IBM System/360 Model 91 and in CDC 6600.
In computing, serial presence detect (SPD) is a standardized way to automatically access information about a memory module. Earlier 72-pin SIMMs included five pins that provided five bits of parallel presence detect (PPD) data, but the 168-pin DIMM standard changed to a serial presence detect to encode more information.
Double Data Rate 3 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory is a type of synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) with a high bandwidth interface, and has been in use since 2007. It is the higher-speed successor to DDR and DDR2 and predecessor to DDR4 synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) chips. DDR3 SDRAM is neither forward nor backward compatible with any earlier type of random-access memory (RAM) because of different signaling voltages, timings, and other factors.
Memory bandwidth is the rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by a processor. Memory bandwidth is usually expressed in units of bytes/second, though this can vary for systems with natural data sizes that are not a multiple of the commonly used 8-bit bytes.
A Fully Buffered DIMM (FB-DIMM) is a type of memory module used in computer systems. It is designed to improve memory performance and capacity by allowing multiple memory modules to be each connected to the memory controller using a serial interface, rather than a parallel one. Unlike the parallel bus architecture of traditional DRAMs, an FB-DIMM has a serial interface between the memory controller and the advanced memory buffer (AMB). Conventionally, data lines from the memory controller have to be connected to data lines in every DRAM module, i.e. via multidrop buses. As the memory width increases together with the access speed, the signal degrades at the interface between the bus and the device. This limits the speed and memory density, so FB-DIMMs take a different approach to solve the problem.
GDDR4 SDRAM, an abbreviation for Graphics Double Data Rate 4 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory, is a type of graphics card memory (SGRAM) specified by the JEDEC Semiconductor Memory Standard. It is a rival medium to Rambus's XDR DRAM. GDDR4 is based on DDR3 SDRAM technology and was intended to replace the DDR2-based GDDR3, but it ended up being replaced by GDDR5 within a year.
Graphics Double Data Rate 5 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory is a type of synchronous graphics random-access memory (SGRAM) with a high bandwidth interface designed for use in graphics cards, game consoles, and high-performance computing. It is a type of GDDR SDRAM.
In computing, a memory module or RAM stick is a printed circuit board on which memory integrated circuits are mounted. Memory modules permit easy installation and replacement in electronic systems, especially computers such as personal computers, workstations, and servers. The first memory modules were proprietary designs that were specific to a model of computer from a specific manufacturer. Later, memory modules were standardized by organizations such as JEDEC and could be used in any system designed to use them.
Graphics DDR SDRAM is a type of synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) specifically designed for applications requiring high bandwidth, e.g. graphics processing units (GPUs). GDDR SDRAM is distinct from the more widely known types of DDR SDRAM, such as DDR4 and DDR5, although they share some of the same features—including double data rate (DDR) data transfers. As of 2023, GDDR SDRAM has been succeeded by GDDR2, GDDR3, GDDR4, GDDR5, GDDR5X, GDDR6, GDDR6X and GDDR6W.
Memory timings or RAM timings describe the timing information of a memory module or the onboard LPDDRx. Due to the inherent qualities of VLSI and microelectronics, memory chips require time to fully execute commands. Executing commands too quickly will result in data corruption and results in system instability. With appropriate time between commands, memory modules/chips can be given the opportunity to fully switch transistors, charge capacitors and correctly signal back information to the memory controller. Because system performance depends on how fast memory can be used, this timing directly affects the performance of the system.
Double Data Rate 4 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory is a type of synchronous dynamic random-access memory with a high bandwidth interface.
Low-Power Double Data Rate (LPDDR), also known as LPDDR SDRAM, is a type of synchronous dynamic random-access memory that consumes less power and is targeted for mobile computers and devices such as mobile phones. Older variants are also known as Mobile DDR, and abbreviated as mDDR.
Double Data Rate 5 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory is a type of synchronous dynamic random-access memory. Compared to its predecessor DDR4 SDRAM, DDR5 was planned to reduce power consumption, while doubling bandwidth. The standard, originally targeted for 2018, was released on July 14, 2020.
High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) is a computer memory interface for 3D-stacked synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) initially from Samsung, AMD and SK Hynix. It is used in conjunction with high-performance graphics accelerators, network devices, high-performance datacenter AI ASICs, as on-package cache in CPUs and on-package RAM in upcoming CPUs, and FPGAs and in some supercomputers. The first HBM memory chip was produced by SK Hynix in 2013, and the first devices to use HBM were the AMD Fiji GPUs in 2015.
DRAM connects to the microprocessor over a parallel bus. In 2015, the present standard is DDR3, a third generation of double-data rate memory bus operating at 1.5 V. Typical motherboards now come with two DDR3 channels so they can simultaneously access two banks of memory modules. DDR4 is ... operating at 1.2V ...