GDDR3 <===> DDR3

GDDR3 is actually not related to DDR3 in any way except name. GDDR3 allows for higher clockspeeds and lower voltages so it can provide slightly superior performance to DDR3 with slightly less heat. The difference arent too much, and there isnt any performance difference, it mostly depends what the OEM chose to use on the card.
 

IzzyCraft

Distinguished
Nov 20, 2008
1,438
0
19,290
But don't be tricked by laptops ddr3 memory for your card in your laptop could mean shared or even just a cheap alternative to directly linking the gpu to the memory.

 

So you are saying that we have both GDDR3 Graphic cards and DDR3 Graphic cards ? i though GDDR3 was only for Graphic cards and DDR3 was only for RAMs.
 
That's what i say,when 6800ULTRA was released,many manufactures reported it as DDR3 but the correct thing was GDDR3,so i think DDR is a mistake that manufactures made for Graphic cards before because DDR is for RAM and GDDR3 is for Graphics
 
No, not at all.

DDR RAM and GDDR RAM are both just RAM. The only reason GDDR is not used on mobo's is that it is not standardised and so you cannot just shove it in a slot unless it was made into a standard format and the mobo was made to accept it.

"normal" DDR RAM is standardised so that there is a basic set of rules that people can manufacture them to so they are interchangable with different mobo's.

If the price and performance was better with DDR than GDDR then gfx card manufacturers would most likely use that but again, seeing as price/performance is not favouring DDR at the moment there is no point spending money on two PCB designs to support two different memory types.

That is my understanding of it anyhow.
I get it now,thanks for explaining :)
 

rockyjohn

Distinguished
Maziar -
Note these listings for a handfull of new GT 240 cards on newegg - and note that the 512MB versions use GDDR5 and the 1 GB versions use DDR3.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=gt+240+video+cards

Then look at this page in the THG review of the new cards which talks about the different memory - about the 4th paragraph down after the spec listing.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gt-240,2475-2.html

This just confirms that both DDR and GDDR are used in video cards.