Lesson 5 Chapter 3 - RAM Overview

Question 1

What are packages?

Answer 1

Packages are the physical form factors

Question 2

In 2000, desktop computers evolved from SIMM to what?

Answer 2

DIMM dual inline memory modules

Question 3

What is a DIMM? What kind of RAM?

race mario kart

Answer 3

DIMM is a circuit board on which dynamic RAM integrated circuits are mounted in series.

Question 4

DIMM is the dominant form factor for adding memory to… ? (3)

mine, jet, tray

Answer 4

1. PCs
2. Printers
3. Servers

Question 5

What are the 2 most used DIMM? What are they used in?

leet, 121

Answer 5

DIMM used in Desktop PCs and other large devices 133.35 mm
SODIMM used in laptop and other smaller, more portable devices 67.6 mm

Question 6

RAM used in today’s PC has what 2 important characteristics?

dance routine, leonardo

Answer 6

1. Synchronous
2. Dynamic

[SDRAM]

Question 7

What does synchronous mean?

kesha

Answer 7

Synchronous means synced with the system clock (timing clock of the motherboard)

Question 8

What does dynamic mean? [As in SDRAM, DRAM, not SRAM]

Answer 8

Dynamic means RAM doesn’t permanently hold its contents

Question 9

Are SRAM and DRAM volatile or non-volatile? Which has contents that rely on power?

Answer 9

SRAM - non-volatile, does not rely on power to hold content indefinitely
DRAM - volatile, its contents refresh every few milliseconds and rely on power

Question 10

What is DDR memory?

i/o, single

Answer 10

Double Data Rate memory transfers data in and out at double the rate of Single Data Rate memory or SDRAM

Question 11

What is the “two-bit prefetch” action? How often? Where is it transferred to and from?

Answer 11

In DDR, 2 bits are transferred in a single clock cycle from memory to an I/O register

Question 12

What is the benefit of prefetching?

loading…loading, $, trees

Answer 12

Prefetching decreases transfer times by buffering/caching a resource (a set of bits) before it’s required

Question 13

When was DDR memory introduced?

Answer 13

2000

Question 14

What are 5 characteristics of DDR3?

eat, pin, dog double, 2-3tv, size

Answer 14

1. Consumes 30% less power consumption, more efficient, faster
2. Uses 240-pin DIMM
3. Doubles the size of the prefetch buffers from 4 to 8 bits (bandwidth boost)
4. DDR3 supports dual and triple-channel memory configurations
5. DDR3 stick sizes range from 1GB to 8 GB

Question 15

What are 3 characteristics of DDR4?

eat, pinup woman, size

Answer 15

1. Consumes 20% less power consumption, more efficient, higher speeds
2. It has 288-pin DIMM with a slight curve on both ends of the motherboard connector
3. DDR4 DIMM sticks range from 4 GB to 64 GB sticks

Question 16

What are 4 characteristics of DDR5?

year and compatible and tv, 2x music, pins, size

Answer 16

1. Released in 2021, compatible multi-core architectures, improves channel efficiency power management and performance
2. 2x bandwidth of DDR4 and 50% more speed
3. 288-pins but not interchangeable
4. DDR5 DIMM stick sizes range from 8 GB to 128 GB

Question 17

What’s the max data rate for DDR3 (Gbps)?

data rate is doubled going forward DDR4, DDR5, etc

Answer 17

1.6 Gbps

Question 18

What’s the max memory size for DDR3-5? (3)

Answer 18

1. DDR3 8GB
2. DDR4 32/64GB
3. DDR5 128GB

Question 19

What’s the number of connection pins for DDR3-5? (3)

Answer 19

DDR3 240
DDR4-5 288

Question 20

How many prefetch bits for DDR3-5? (3)

doubles at some point

Answer 20

DDR3 8
DDR4 8
DDR5 16

Question 21

What’s the bandwidth (Gbps) for DDR3-5?

Answer 21

DDR3 17
DDR4 25.6
DDR5 32

Question 22

What is the voltage for DDR3-5? (3)

Answer 22

DDR3 1.3/1.5
DDR4 1.2
DDR5 1.1

Question 23

Are there SODIMMS available for each of the DDR versions? T or F?

Answer 23

True

Question 24

What are low-voltage versions of the DDR3 SODIMMs called?

message boards

Answer 24

DDR3L Modules

Question 25

Are low-voltage and standard-voltage versions of DDR3 compatible?

Answer 25

No, not compatible

Question 26

How many pins do DDR3-5 SODIMMs use? (3)

Answer 26

DDR3 SODIMM 204-pin module (low-voltage version available)
DDR4 SODIMM 260-pin module (slightly wider than DDR3 SODIMM)
DDR5 SODIMM 262-pin module (2 independent I/O channels for +bandwidth, standardized sideband bus)

Question 27

What are multichannel memory configurations? What component uses it? What’s the benefit?

Answer 27

Multichannel configurations are used by the desktop/laptop motherboard to increase performance (when using memory)

Question 28

What is a single-memory channel for which component? How much does it deliver?

Answer 28

DIMMs, with a 64-bit data bus, deliver 64-bits of data at a time with single-memory channels

Question 29

How do you achieve triple-channel memory? What #-bit data bus does this achieve? How does this have to be installed?

Answer 29

You need 3 memory modules of 64 bits each to create the 192-bit total data bus
It has to be installed in series (on memory slots of the same color) to be used together

Question 30

Each multiple-channel memory architecture requires….?

gaming

Answer 30

A memory controller that has support for its number of channels (dual channel memory controllers support 2 channels, etc)

Question 31

Memory modules are ___ bit devices

Answer 31

64-bit devices

Question 32

What does ECC RAM stand for?

Answer 32

Error Correction Code RAM

Question 33

What does ECC RAM do? What does it use to do this?

Answer 33

ECC RAM uses special circuitry to detect and correct errors in data on the fly without interrupting the system

Question 34

Where is ECC RAM commonly seen on?

Answer 34

ECC RAM is common on performance-enhanced workstations and servers

Question 35

What is parity memory? What does it use to do this?

Answer 35

Parity memory is a simpler version of ECC RAM and uses a parity bit to check for errors (no correction)

Question 36

What’s the difference between parity memory and ECC RAM?

only, not

Answer 36

Parity memory only finds the errors, doesn’t correct it