DDRII vs DDR

SilverLock

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Nov 18, 2003
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Looking at two cards that both claim to have the same memory clock, but one has DDRII and the other DDR - what is the difference? Is there a reason to want the DDRII?

Thanks
 

Schadenfroh

Elite Member
Mar 8, 2003
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what card? DDRII cards on the nvidia side have 128bit bus and the ddrI of the 256bit bus ati cards are superior unless it has 128bitddr1
 

SilverLock

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Nov 18, 2003
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The one I know off the top of my head is the PNY GeForce 5700 Ultra that had a special edition DDRII version vs. everyone else's DDR versions.

There are also two companies that have GeForce 5900nus with DDRII ram instead of DDR.
 

VIAN

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2003
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I guess it's something special to say, if the point to DDRII is that it can go quicker, then why would you need slower DDRII when you can use DDRI, unless its cheaper, but I doubt that. It's probably one of the things like "how many ns is this RAM chip - ooh good buy" for overclocking purposes - because it can scale higher.
 

Tseng

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
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ATi 9800 Pro 256MB uses DDR II as well. The DDR II runs hotter than the DDR, ATi has to attach HS on the DDR II modules.
 
Apr 17, 2003
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Originally posted by: SilverLock
The one I know off the top of my head is the PNY GeForce 5700 Ultra that had a special edition DDRII version vs. everyone else's DDR versions.

There are also two companies that have GeForce 5900nus with DDRII ram instead of DDR.

which companies have 5900's with DDRII?
 

yhelothar

Lifer
Dec 11, 2002
18,409
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DDRII runs at much higher latencies.. so DDR1 is better clock for clock..
i saw the white papers @ samsung's website for DDR2.. they all run at 11-22 timings
 

Mark R

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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DDRII runs at much higher latencies.. so DDR1 is better clock for clock..

That's a bit of an exaggeration. The latencies for DDRII from Micron and Samsung are the same as for DDR at the same speed.

E.g. Samsung's fastest PC3200 RAM (DDR 400) has timings of 3-3-3. Their slowest DDR2 RAM operates at DDR 400 with timings of 3-3-3. Same for Micron.

Even if you look at DDR3 memory for the latest cards - at 600 MHz (DDR 1200) the timings are only 8-10-9 - in absolute time the same as for essentially all other top-end RAMs.

It's also worth pointing out that in graphics use, latency is much less of a problem because data is largely read in long bursts which only infrequently incurrs significant latency penalties.

Additionally DDR2 and DDR3 RAMs are designed to use less power and produce less heat - they certainly use lower operating voltages, although the manufacturers' still don't provide power consumption data for their latest products.