DDR2 vs DDR3: Difference and Comparison

DDR3 RAM is used in the majority of modern desktops and laptops (DDR3 is a shorter name for Double Data Rate Type 3).

When it comes to being much more specific, DDR3 SDRAM would be its proper technical designation. Assuming the system was constructed in 2008 or before, it most likely uses outdated DDR2 RAM.

Key Takeaways

1. DDR3 memory has a higher bandwidth, providing faster data transfer than DDR2.
2. DDR3 modules use less power, resulting in better energy efficiency.
3. DDR3 memory is not backwards compatible with DDR2, meaning the two types cannot be used interchangeably.

DDR2 vs DDR3

The difference between DDR2 and DDR3 is that DDR RAM has a transfer rate of 1600 MB/s, DDR2 RAM has a transfer rate of 3200 MB/s, whereas DDR3 RAM has a transfer rate of 6400 MB/s. When it comes to features, DDR2, as well as DDR3 RAM seems to be very comparable.

Double Data Rate 2 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DDR2 SDRAM) will be a double data rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) protocol.

It supplanted the initial DDR SDRAM standard and also was subsequently succeeded by DDR3 SDRAM (Set in motion in 2007). DDR2 DIMMs are not advanced nor backward compliant with DDR3.

DDR3 SDRAM (Double Data Rate 3 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory) seems to be a synchronized dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) with just a high performance (“double data rate”) connectivity that has been used since 2007.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	DDR2	DDR3
Definition	DDR2 is an abbreviation because of the double Data Rate Version 2.	DDR3 is an abbreviation because of the double Data Rate Version 3.
Energy consumption and speed	DDR2 requires more energy. DDR2 is slower than DDR3 in terms of speed.	DDR3 requires less energy. Although DDR3 is faster than DDR2, it is not as quick as DDR2.
Voltage and Reset	DDR2 has a higher production voltage than DDR3, which has a value of 1.8 voltages. There seems to be no ram reset mechanism in DDR2.	The voltage level for DDR3 equals 1.5 volts. Under DDR3, a memory restore function is offered.
Cost Efficiency	The cost-efficiency of DDR2 is more as it is cheaper than its successor. But at the same time, it is not performance efficient.	DDR3 Ram costs much higher than DDR2 but is performance efficient too.
Clock Speed Variation	DDR2 clock speeds range between 400 MHz to 800 MHz, which is lower than its successor.	The clock frequency of DDr3 ranges between 800 MHz to 1600 MHz.

What is DDR2?

Double Data Rate 2 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DDR2 SDRAM) will be a double data rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) protocol.

It supplanted the initial DDR SDRAM standard and also was subsequently succeeded by DDR3 SDRAM (Set in motion in 2007). DDR2 DIMMs are not advanced nor backward compliant with DDR3.

DDR2 offers greater bus speed and reduced power by maintaining the internal clock at 50% the rate of such data bus, as opposed to DDR SDRAM, which doubles pumps the data bus (transmitting information on the going up) downsides of the bus system clock).

The 2 components work together to provide four information exchanges for every internal clock cycle.

DDR2 storage functions at the very same existing data bus clock frequency as DDR can give the very same bandwidth although with lower latency because the DDR2 internal clock operates at 1/2 the DDR exterior clock rate.

DDR2 memory, which operates at double the external data bus clock frequency as DDR, might double the throughput while maintaining the same delay. 

What is DDR3?

DDR3 SDRAM (Double Data Rate 3 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory) seems to be a synchronized dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) with just a high performance (“double data rate”) connectivity that has been used since 2007.

This is also the faster version of DDR and DDR2 synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) chips as well as the forerunner of DDR4 SDRAM chips. Because of differences in signalling voltages, durations, and other considerations, DDR3 SDRAM will be neither ahead nor backwards interoperable with any previous form of random-access memory (RAM).

DDR3 is just a DRAM interface standard. The underlying DRAM panels that hold the contents are comparable to prior varieties and work similarly.

DDR3 SDRAM has a significant advantage above its early origins, DDR2 SDRAM, in that it can transmit information at double the pace (eight times the pace of its internal storage arrays), allowing for higher throughput or maximum data speeds. 

Main Differences Between DDR2 and DDR3

1. DDR2 is an abbreviation because of the double Data Rate Version 2. On the other hand, DDR3 is an abbreviation because of the double Data Rate Version 3.
2. DDR2 requires more energy. DDR2 is slower than DDR3 in terms of speed. Whereas, DDR3 requires less energy. Although DDR3 is faster than DDR2, it is not as quick as DDR2.
3. DDR2 has a higher production voltage than DDR3, which has a value of 1.8 voltages. There seems to be no ram reset mechanism in DDR2. Whereas, the voltage level for DDR3 equals 1.5 volts. Under DDR3, a memory restore function is offered.
4. The cost efficiency of DDR2 is more as it is cheaper than its successor. But at the same time, it is not performance efficient. On the other hand, DDR3 Ram costs much more than DDR2 but is performance efficient.
5. DDR2 clock speeds range between 400 MHz to 800 MHz, which is lower than its successor. Whereas, the clock frequency of DDr3 ranges between 800 MHz to 1600 MHz.

References

1. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7299928
2. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7891742

Last Updated : 13 June, 2023