What is DDR4 RAM? Difference between DDR4 RAM and DDR3 RAM

Currently, there are many types of RAM on the market, of which DDR4 RAM has been commonly used in recent years with superior performance than older generations. So, what specifically is DDR4 RAM? What are the differences with the previous generation of DDR3? Let's find out details with TipsMake through the article below.

What is DDR4 RAM?

DDR4 RAM 's full name is 'Double Data Rate Fourth Generation Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory' . This is the 4th generation of DDR RAM launched in 2012 and is commonly used on the market today.

DDR4 RAM uses a voltage of 1.2V . This type of RAM also has a version used on laptops, SO - DIMM with 204 pins, and a version for PCs, DIMM with 240 pins. Compared to DDR3, although it has the same number of pins, the location of the holes on the RAM bar is different, so both versions cannot be used to replace each other.

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DDR4 RAM has a maximum storage capacity of 512 GB , much larger than DDR3 RAM. Besides, DDR4's Bus Speed ​​capabilities are very large from 1600, 1866, 2133, 2400, 2666, 3200MHz, 4266MHz or even up to 4800MHz. 

Theoretically, DDR4 RAM can store data up to 512 GB. In fact, the most popular distribution lines on the market are lines with RAM bars ranging from 8GB, 16GB and 32GB. Large capacity RAM sticks are only used for servers with prices up to hundreds of millions.

Currently, for popular CPU lines, manufacturers only support users with bandwidth below 46GB/s corresponding to 2 RAM channels. This means that users only need to assemble 2 DDR4 - 2933 MHz RAM sticks to fully exhaust the CPU bandwidth. Raising the RAM bus to a higher level does not increase the CPU's processing speed too much.

>> See more: What is VRAM? Popular types of VRAM today.

What are the outstanding features of DDR4 RAM?

As an upgraded version from DDR3, DDR4 RAM possesses many superior features compared to previous generations. Specifically:

Faster speed

DDR4 RAM has a data processing speed many times faster than the 3rd generation version. The initial transmission speed starts from 2133 MHz , which is a higher speed than DDR3. Data transmitted between RAM and CPU as well as with other components in the computer are exchanged at high speed and helps increase device performance.

Energy saving

A DDR4 RAM bar when used will consume up to 40% less power than a DDR3 bar, and a module only requires 1.2V of power. This helps increase the battery life of your mobile device or laptop longer. 

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Large capacity

As mentioned earlier, DDR4 RAM can create memory modules containing up to 512GB of storage capacity. The reason why the capacity can hold so much is thanks to the new technology that the manufacturer has applied, including stacking technology and high-density mold. 

Meanwhile, the previous generation, the current DDR3 RAM, only contains up to 128GB capacity. The large capacity of DDR4 RAM will help users quickly solve the workload that needs to be processed on the device.

Enhanced reliability

The final feature that makes DDR4 RAM superior is its reliability. This RAM has further improvements in cyclic redundancy and on- chip 'instruction and address' parity detection capabilities. Besides, the manufacturer also improves the signal integrity on RAM. Therefore, currently this 4th generation RAM is considered the most reliable DDR product for users. 

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DDR4 RAM specifications

Join TipsMake to find out the detailed technical specifications of DDR4 RAM through the table below:

Compare DDR4 and DDR3 ram

DDR4 RAM is a new standard version, possessing many outstanding features compiled and improved from the previous generation of DDR3 RAM. Therefore, between these two versions there are differences such as:

Is the data transfer speed of DDR4 RAM faster?

In fact, when users know how much Bus Speed ​​a RAM stick is, they can easily calculate the data transfer speed of that RAM stick. Formula to calculate bandwidth data transmission speed:

BandWidth = (Bus Speed ​​x Bus Width)/8

Among them are known:

1. Bus Speed ​​is Bus RAM. 
2. Bus Width = 64. 

Thereby, to calculate a common  2666 MHz DDR4 Bus RAM stick will have a transfer speed of: 2666×64/8 = 21328 MB/s (or 24.3 GB/s).

Apply the same formula to DDR4 4800 MHz RAM with speed = 38.4GB/s . 

On the other hand, with conventional CPUs commonly distributed today, the bandwidth only supports less than 46 GB/s corresponding to 2 RAM channels. This means that users only need to install 2 sticks of DDR4 - 2933MHz RAM to run out of CPU bandwidth, even though higher Bus Speed ​​RAM does not bring much difference in speed when the CPU processes data. 

However, with laptops that do not support discrete graphics cards, all graphics calculation work will have to rely on the integrated card. At this time, the higher RAM bus will give users much faster graphics processing performance. In particular, Bus RAM is very suitable for AMD processors with integrated Radeon or Intel Ice Lake and Tiger Lake graphics.

Frequently asked questions about DDR4 RAM?

Although it provides many benefits for computer and mobile devices, upgrading to DDR4 RAM is not always suitable for everyone. During the research process, many users have questions about this type of RAM as follows:

Which is faster RAM or SSD?

The answer is faster RAM. Compared to traditional HDD, SSD hard drive has data processing speed many times faster. However, compared to RAM, the speed of SSD is still significantly slower. An SSD will not be fast enough for data that needs to be accessed immediately, but with RAM this is possible. 

Can DDR4 RAM be upgraded?

You can only upgrade the capacity of DDR4 RAM, not from one generation of RAM to another. However, upgrading DDR4 RAM capacity depends on many different factors of the user such as usage needs, device compatibility, finances, etc. In particular, some computers only support Supporting 1 RAM slot cannot be upgraded but can only be replaced with DDR4 RAM with higher capacity.

Epilogue

Questions about what generation DDR4 RAM standard is has been answered in detail by TipsMake in the above article. Overall, this type of RAM integrates and improves the advantages of older generations, giving users a smooth and fast experience during operation. Thank you for following the article and don't forget to share if you find it useful.

Jessica Tanner

Update 03 October 2023