JEDEC has published the final specifications for DDR4 SDRAM. JEDEC promising this DDR4 SDRAM has more performance, reliability and efficiency than today's DDR3 SDRAM. According to DDR4 SDRAM touts a per-pin data rate of 1.6GT/s to 3.2GT/s (giga transfers per second), it has much faster speed than today's SDRAM.
The new memory type implements a new process to read, write, and refresh data more efficiently, and the improved throughput boosts application performance by transferring information to storage and memory faster.
Top DRAM makers like Samsung, Micron, and Nanya have already started shipping test units of the memory. Integrated Device Technology two weeks ago announced it was shipping test units of DDR4 memory with error correction features, which typically go into servers.
The proposed transfer speed of DDR4 is expected to top off at 3.2 gigatransfers per second, while JEDEC has said that DDR3 exceeded its expected maximum speed of 1.6 gigatransfers per second. DDR4 DRAM will consume 1.2 volts, compared to 1.5 volts for DDR3. The memory bus speed will start at 2133MHz, which is a boost from the average bus speed of 1333MHz and 1666MHz for DDR3.
"The DRAM market is oversupplied because the PC market isn't that strong. The tablets and smartphones are doing well, but instead of 4GB of DRAM, they need only 1GB of RAM. That's the fundamental issue."
The jury is still out on when DDR4 DRAM will end up in computers, but it could be as early as next year. The memory makers are pushing chip makers like Intel to bring chipset support for DDR4 quickly, Wong said. "Intel's always improving CPU performance, DDR4 is a way to push that," Wong said. DDR4 may reach PCs first, but it could take a while to reach mobile devices, Wong said.
