GDDR3
GDDR 3 (Graphics Double Data Rate, version 3) is a specific RAM memory technology for graphics cards created by ATI Technologies in collaboration with JEDEC. This technology has the same technological base as DDR2, but considerably reduces consumption and dissipation costs, allowing the efficiency of the modules to be significantly increased using simple cooling systems. It should be noted that GDDR3 technology is not related to the JEDEC DDR3 specification. This type of memory uses internal terminators, allowing them to handle the flow of data and graphic processes and are capable of working with 4 bits per cycle (as in DDR2), that is, 2 bits in each direction in the same cycle, substantially improving the bandwidth. The GDDR3 interface transfers two 32 – bit words per clock cycle.
Despite having been designed by ATI, the first graphics card to use this technology was the GeForce FX 5700 Ultra from nVidia, where the DDR2 modules that were installed until then were replaced. ATI wouldn’t start using it until its Radeon X800 range. GDDR3 has been chosen by Sony in the graphics engine of its console PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 from Microsoft also incorporates 512 MB of this memory. Currently GDDR3 memories are being replaced by GDDR5 in higher performance graphics cards, currently in ATI cardsand in the future on cards based on the nVidia GF100 chip. Currently GDDR3 modules support a maximum capacity of 1GB and operate between 166 and 800MHz.
GDDR4
GDDR4. (Graphics Double Data Rate, version 4) is a type of graphics card memory specified by the JEDEC. Based on DDR2 technology, it succeeds GDDR3 memory, considerably reducing electrical consumption and thermal dissipation, increasing the data transfer speed, allowing a notable increase in efficiency. The first graphics card to use this technology was the ATI Technologies Radeon X1950 XTX.
GDDR5
GDDR5. (Graphics Double Data Rate, version 5) is a specific RAM memory technology for high-performance graphics cards whose specification was standardized by JEDEC. GDDR5 is the successor to GDDR4 and unlike its predecessor it has two parallel DQ links that provide double I / O bandwidth. GDDR5 is a random access memory with the same technological base as DDR2 and uses 8n prefetch to achieve the highest bandwidths, this type of technology can be configured to operate in x32 and x16 (clamshell) modes that are detected during initialization. Of the device. Hynix Semiconductors introduced the industry’s first 1GB GDDR5 memory in early 2008.
It supports a bandwidth of up to 20GB / s on a 32-bit bus, which allows configurations from 1GiB to 160GB / s with only 8 circuits on a 256- bitbus. In June 2008, ATI was the first company to use GDDR5 in its products with its Radeon HD 4870 series of video cards incorporating 512Mb modules with 3.6Gbit / s bandwidth.
Overview
GDDR5 is the successor to GDDR4 and unlike its predecessor it has two parallel DQ links that provide double I / O bandwidth.
Characteristics
GDDR5 is a random access memory with the same technological base as DDR2 and uses 8n prefetch to achieve the highest bandwidths, this type of technology can be configured to operate in x32 and x16 (clamshell) modes that are detected during initialization. Of the device.
GDDR5 to ensure high performance, stability in operation and low implementation costs combines the following three concepts: Optimization of the information sector (Data eye optimization), Adaptive time interface and error compensation.
History
Hynix Semiconductors introduced the industry’s first 1GB GDDR5 memory in early 2008. It supports a bandwidth of up to 20GB / s on a 32-bit bus, which allows configurations from 1GiB to 160GB / s with only 8 circuits on a 256-bit bus.
In June 2008, ATI was the first company to use GDDR5 in its products with its Radeon HD 4870 series of video cards incorporating 512Mb modules with 36Gbit / s bandwidth.
Currently GDDR5 memories are used for high and mid-range video cards. Little by little they will be replacing GDDR3 due to their low cost, superior performance, providing a much larger bandwidth with a much smaller memory interface.
The HD 7990, 7900, 7800, 7700, 6900, 6800, 6700, 6600, 5900, 5800, 5700, 5600, 5500, 5470, 4800, 4700 Series from AMD use GDDR5 memory.
Nvidia’s GTS and GTX 400, 500, 600 and 700 series use GDDR5 memory.
Sony uses GDDR5 memory as system RAM in its new PlayStation 4 console .