An upgrade to DDR4 memory

An upgrade to DDR4 memory

As majority of the desktops and laptops purchased in the last 4 to 5 years uses the standard DDR3 memory, DDR4 will cause its downfall in terms of size and speed. The capacity to attain higher MT/s or Mega transactions per second is one feature that causes DDR4 memory to be more attractive than DDR3 memory.

The MT/s is the memory stick’s capacity to read and write as much binary integers every second. When comparing memory modules, one important aspect to look into is the CL or CAS latency. CAS latency or Column Address Strobe latency is the delay or holdup time between the instant a memory controller informs the memory module to access a specific memory column on a RAM module and the instant the data from the specified array location is available on the module’s output pins.

The disadvantage of DDR4 over DDR3 is its higher latency. As DDR3 2133 RAM can have a CL of 9 or 10 perhaps, with DDR4 2133 it can have a CL of 15 or higher. Though it is argued that the difference in the latency is slight, the CAS latency can still be vital for power users and video editors.

Another advantage of DDR4 over DDR3 is its less power consumption. DDR4 DIMMS use 1.2 volts whereas typical DDR3 DIMMS use 1.5 volts. So, while DDR4 is giving higher performance, it is also allowing you to save power. As this won’t have an enormous effect for the majority of PC users, for server farms and portable devices there are huge advantages like longer battery life.

Another important advantage of DDR4 is density. A single stick of DDR3 memory can hold up to 8 GB while with a DDR4 memory, it can hold up to 16 GB.