Is DDR dying ?

[Zenoth]

If I am not mistaken, all the Motherboards that are compatible with Intel's Conroe can only support DDR 2, right ? And I also believe it's the same story with AM2.

Is the regular DDR era slowly dying ?

All the latest CPU technology forces us to switch to DDR 2, and all the future isn't poiting at DDR 1 anymore.

I remember when, perhaps a year ago or so, most people and "pro" reviewers on the web all agreed that DDR 2, back then, wasn't worth it at all, and that DDR would stay on top until DDR 3 comes out. But today everything tells me that DDR 2 is getting better, maybe much faster than we could all expect, and is now doing "fine" compared to DDR's best offering.

I don't even know if current Memory suppliers/developers (OCZ, Corsair, Kingston, etc) are still producing DDR modules.

So, overall, what's the current situation with DDR ? Is it being kicked by DDR 2 ?

 

[NoStateofMind]

Dying? It's dead!

 

[OVerLoRDI]

DDR is very much gone unless you are still using a socket 939 system like me. The days of focusing on tight timings for performance of your DDR memory are gone. If I'm not mistaking with DDR2 timings aren't quite as important as they were with DDR (someone yell at me if I'm wrong). But as far as real world performance AM2 systems basically socket 939 with DDR2 and some other changes performs about the same or maybe slightly faster than socket 939. So its hard to tell what is "Faster" but regardless DDR1 is dead.

 

[skinnyj]

so are you saying having a timing 5-5-5-15, isnt that bad? or should i still look for some 4-4-4-12 ddr2?

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Lower timings are always better but the performance difference is quite small. In the range of 1-3%, so you have to judge are the increase in timings worth the 50+ dollar increase in price? But also I am not quite sure in the difference in performance for the newer platforms, my impression was timings were less important.

 

[Zap]

I'd say that, though not dead yet, DDR is surely following socket 939/754 into eventual oblivion. Prices are already higher than equivalent capacity DDR2. This is reminiscent of moving from AGP to PCI-E. There really isn't a huge technological leap with the "newer" technology, but if manufacturers stop making the "older" stuff, nothing you can do about it.

 

[Zenoth]

Ok, thanks for answering guys.

And ... what about DDR2 itself ? Does it have a good future ?

Is DDR3 "in the works" already, or not ?

 

[Aluvus]

Originally posted by: Zenoth
Ok, thanks for answering guys.

And ... what about DDR2 itself ? Does it have a good future ?

Is DDR3 "in the works" already, or not ?

Yes, DDR3 is in the works. DDR2 should remain top dog for a bit, though.

 

[Zenoth]

Alright, well, thanks everyone.

R.I.P DDR I will miss my PC-3200 over-clocking efforts and un-expected results, and I will miss that technology as a whole

 

[TriRy]

sad day.. first i find out AGP is dying, and now DDR is dying also?

what has this world come to! anyways, someone recommended to me an ASRock mobo here... does this still support DDR as well as DDR2?

i'm still trying for the cheap-o upgrade.. to keep my DDR and AGP card. maybe cheap-o is not in my future...

 

[Zap]

If you want cheapo and to keep your AGP card and DDR RAM, then head over to Newegg and pick up a Venice core socket 754 A64 3400+ with a Biostar Nforce3 chipset board that's overclockable. You'll get about 2/3-3/4 the performance of a Core 2 Extreme while costing less than 1/10 the price of the Core 2 Extreme CPU itself (let alone nice motherboard, DDR2 RAM and new PCI-E video). This is a special bundle that runs about $100 for board and CPU.

 

[skinnyj]

so just to clarify on ddr2, 5-5-5-15 timings are not that bad compare to 4? there is quite a bit of price difference and im just wondering what to get.

 

[n7]

DDR = going the way of SD.

All good things come to an end.

Some with no regrets from me

I'll take crappy value RAM DDR2 that clocks insanely well over my old expensive DDR which couldn't OC worth crap.

 

[evilhead]

Originally posted by: skinnyj
so just to clarify on ddr2, 5-5-5-15 timings are not that bad compare to 4? there is quite a bit of price difference and im just wondering what to get.

the difference is not that big. it's not like your great rig becomes a mediocre one. but if you got the money, why not? spending makes you sleep well at night, right?

 

[NuAlphaMan]

Yepper, DDR and 939 are biting the dust. AM2 and DDR2 will be their replacements. :shocked:

 

[inveterate]

U people know nothing of Quality OC. ur ddr2 can't touch this.

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: inveterate
U people know nothing of Quality OC. ur ddr2 can't touch this.

LOL...DDR OCing is minimal compared to DDR2.

You have 291 from 200 i assume.

With decent DDR2, you can get from 266 to 500+ w/o too much difficulty.

Heck, my crap Comstar RAM went from 266 to 430 even.

 

[Sonikku]

Why do we need DDR2 Ram again? Why do we need the extra bandwidth?

Cus' Intel says we do.

 

[emilyek]

DDR is still fine, but manufacturers don't want to make or sell it anymore.

What extra bandwith?

 

[lopri]

DDR is pretty much done, but I still think AM2 CPUs' IMC isn't as mature as that of Socket 939 CPUs. I highly doubt that DDR2-1200 on AM2 will beat DDR-500 (2-2-2-5 BH-5) or DDR-600 (2.5-3-3-7 TCCD) on 939. (at same CPU frequency, of course)

In my opinion, AM2 platform in current shape is inferior to 939 platform. AMD/reviewers want you to believe otherwise by squeezing out more expensive ram on AM2 platform (and at the same time using DDR400/2-3-2-5 on Socket 939, but any enthusiasts can pick a cheaper pair of DDR and beat any AM2 with DDR2-800.

Contrary to what's commonly said, Socket 939 is 2~3% faster than Socket AM2.

 

[lopri]

dp. Sorry.

 

[lopri]

For instance, I have yet to see an AM2 CPU does this @3.0GHz with any DDR2. And it's not even BH-5 nor TCCD.

 

[Madellga]

It is dead Jim.....

Nothing wrong with it. It is just that the industry decided to move on.