What is the difference between server RAM and regular memory? Ddr3 Server Memory

In order for your home computer to work really quickly and cope with its tasks perfectly, you should be as careful as possible in choosing its components. RAM plays a very important role in any computer, so the question is how to choose RAM? This is a very pressing issue for many people. Let's try to answer it in as much detail and as clearly as possible.

What is RAM?

Before choosing the right RAM for your computer, you need to have a clear idea of what it actually is. RAM is a computer component on which the performance of the entire system largely depends.. This component is used to store temporary information that is necessary for the correct operation of certain programs or all of them.

If we speak in simpler and more understandable language, we can say it as follows. RAM is an intermediate link between the processor and the hard drive. As you know, the hard drive stores all the necessary information, the processor acts as the brain of the computer, that is, it is constantly processing certain data. But RAM acts as a kind of connecting link in this system, which works with temporary data that should get into the processor after all processing.

Probably, many may have a question, why use this connecting link at all? Why not immediately transfer the data to the processor? The fact is that thanks to this design, you can significantly increase the speed of your computer, since RAM usually works much faster than a hard drive.

What are the types of RAM (random access recording device).

Once upon a time, when they were not yet as fast as they are now, all RAM was divided into two types: SIMM and DIMM. Much has changed since then, and when it comes to types of RAM, you can forget about them, since they have not been produced anywhere for a long time and have not been used anywhere for a long time.

At the moment, there are different types of RAM. In 2001, DDR type RAM was invented; at one time it was a very good component for any computer, however, nowadays it is almost never found anywhere, so information related to it is also not relevant. But it can be noted that the main difference between this memory and DDR2 and DDR3, which are now much more common, is the number of contacts on the board itself; in DDR there are very few of them, to be more precise, 184 pieces.

A much more progressive invention was DDR2, which was made in 2003 and which significantly influenced the speed of many computers. This type of RAM already contained 240 contacts. The increase in the number of contacts had a very positive effect on the speed of data transfer to the processor, which also affected the overall performance of the entire system.

The most recent invention that has gone on mass sale in this direction is DDR3, which has the same 240 contacts; DDR2, however, has a number of advantages. One of the innovations that was used in this type of RAM is electrical incompatibility of contacts. This move made it possible to significantly increase the maximum frequency, which was 2400 MHz (DDR2 has 1066 MHz), as well as increase bandwidth and make the component more economical in terms of energy consumption.

As most tests show, DDR3 is about 15-20% faster than DDR2.

Amount of RAM.

The amount of RAM is one of the main parameters of this device. It should be noted that development in this direction is proceeding very quickly and rapidly. If in the last century the volume of a particular RAM was most often measured in either kilobytes or megabytes, now it is measured in gigabytes.

The number itself, indicating the amount of RAM, indicates how much temporary data can fit in the device. When choosing this option, do not forget that the Windows operating system itself consumes at least 1GB of RAM, therefore, for normal operation of the computer it must be more. Let's look at the most common options for our time:

2 GB – this amount of RAM may be suitable for budget computers. If you do not use anything other than the Internet and programs for viewing photos and movies, this amount of memory should be enough for you. This amount of memory may also be enough for older games that were released before about 2005.
4 GB - this amount of RAM is already enough for many modern games; if you are more demanding of computer power than in the previous case, then this is the choice for you.
8 GB is already very serious, with this amount of RAM, almost all modern games can be run at maximum quality settings.
16 GB is the dream of any gamer, with this amount of RAM, even the most demanding cutting-edge games will “fly” at the highest video quality settings and everything else.
32 GB - that much memory may not even be needed at the current level of development of computer technology, if you are not engaged, for example, in complex mathematical computing experiments that require enormous computing capabilities.

It is important to remember one very significant point. If you have a 32-bit operating system, it will not be able to accept more than 3 GB of RAM. If you have more than 3 GB of RAM, then you must install a 64-bit operating system.

RAM frequency.

Very often, many people pay attention first of all to the amount of RAM. This, of course, is quite reasonable, since volume is the most important parameter of such a device, however, the frequency of RAM is no less important, because it determines the speed at which data will be exchanged with the processor. Therefore, it should be approached no less carefully.

For proper operation of the entire system, the RAM frequency should not be higher than the frequency of the motherboard. If this rule is not followed, this can lead to various kinds of failures in the system, which is very undesirable.

Many modern processors operate at a frequency of 1600 MHz, so it is better to buy RAM with the same frequency, or a slight deviation from it, but preferably not higher.

There is also RAM with a frequency ranging from 2133 MHz and even higher; such components are quite expensive, much more expensive than regular RAM. In order for them to work properly, you need to buy special motherboards, which also cost a lot of money, so they are not very popular yet. In addition, a motherboard alone is not enough; here you should also buy a processor that has an unlocked multiplier, and as you know, this also costs a lot.

In addition to all this, using RAM cards with a frequency of 2133 MHz and higher can lead to very high heating of the entire computer. Therefore, while it doesn’t make much sense to buy such equipment, perhaps after a while it will become popular, but for now it can only provide +20-30% in productivity, which is not commensurate with the amount of money spent on it. Only the craziest gamers can decide to do something like this.

RAM timing

Typically, RAM timings are not particularly mentioned; this parameter is not as well known as memory size and frequency. However, it is very important and therefore you should definitely take a closer look at it when choosing a RAM.

What are RAM timings? Timing is the time delay of a signal, which is measured in clock cycles and can have a value from 2 to 13. This parameter primarily affects the bandwidth of the processor-memory channel; it also slightly affects the performance of the system, but this influence is not very significant and strong.

The lower the timing of the RAM, the faster it will work. Therefore, if you are building a computer for gaming, you should pay attention to this important parameter.

RAM voltage

Voltage, like other characteristics of RAM, also have an impact on the operation of the entire computer. The voltage parameter primarily tells you how much energy the component must receive in order to operate normally. This parameter also affects the heat emission of the device. In most cases, for DDR3 this parameter is 1.5 V. However, recently a considerable number of memory models have appeared that may have a higher parameter than 1.5 V. Of course, the increased requirements for energy consumption also affect the heat dissipation, Therefore, RAM chipsets with a voltage parameter of more than 1.5 V usually have additional heatsink plates. This approach reduces heat generation.

The BIOS has the ability to control the supply voltage, however, it is best not to perform such operations, as this can negatively affect the RAM, to the point that it may fail.

The main RAM manufacturers at the moment

Of course, it is impossible to choose a good RAM without paying attention to its manufacturers. At the moment, there are a considerable number of different manufacturers of RAM on the market, many of which quite often release newer and newer models of these computer components.

If you are looking for high-quality RAM modules that will work well and for a long time, then you can pay attention to the following manufacturers:

Corsair;
Transcend;
Kingston;
Samsung.

These companies have proven themselves very well in this market and have been producing a truly high-quality product for many years. What is also very important about these manufacturers is that they always indicate frequency parameters that fully correspond to reality, which many other companies do not always do, trying to embellish the reality and thereby attract large buyers. That is, if you bought Samsung RAM, and it shows a capacity of 8 GB, it will be real 8 GB and nothing else, the same applies to Kingston RAM and RAM from other manufacturers in the list presented above.

Therefore, if you are planning to buy RAM in the near future, it is best to choose one of these 5 manufacturers. For example, Kingston Hyperx RAM can be a very good choice if you want to use your computer for gaming. In addition, a very important point in this case may be the correct reading of the RAM markings, as this allows you to find out all the most important characteristics of the RAM.

Suppose there is such a RAM chipset KHX 2000C9AD3T1K2/4GX, what can it tell us? Let's take a closer look:

KHX is the model and manufacturer of this RAM.
2000 – operating frequency.
9 – timing parameter.
D3 – type of module used.
4G – memory capacity.

As you can see, everything is not that complicated, so when buying a chipset it is very important to pay attention to the markings in order to make the right choice.

There is another important point: some people prefer to install more than one RAM chipset on their computer, thereby achieving greater system performance. This is a very common practice among many gamers. In the case when you plan to install two such chipsets, you need to take into account that they must be from the same manufacturer and from the same batch, and also have identical clock frequency, workload and timing parameters. Only when both components meet all these parameters will the RAM compatibility be perfect.

Do not think that other RAM manufacturers that are not represented in the list above are bad manufacturers. This is far from true, for example, hynix RAM can be a very good solution in many cases, just like amd RAM, which very often has very good parameters and a favorable price. However, it often happens that Kingston RAM is a more reasonable and rational choice in many cases, both in terms of its operating efficiency and its cost.

Is there a difference between PC RAM and laptop RAM?

Everything that applies to RAM on a PC also applies to RAM for a laptop. The only difference that exists between PC RAM and laptop RAM is the size, usually laptop RAM is shorter than PC RAM.

How to choose the right RAM?

If you rely on everything described above, you can make the right choice of RAM. In addition, you should, of course, take into account your own needs; first of all, you must determine for yourself for what purpose you need a computer. If, for example, you are not going to use it to play the latest games at maximum quality settings, in this case you can even try to save on the amount of RAM.

However, it very often happens that a person initially did not want to use a computer for games, but then he was faced with such a need, and the RAM had already been purchased. In order to avoid such problems and not have to pay twice, it is still better to initially take a sufficient amount of RAM, moreover, recently the prices for it have decreased significantly. In addition, it is very important to pay attention to the clock frequency of the RAM, which should not be higher than the frequency of the motherboard, as well as some other parameters, such as timing. This is simply necessary if you want to achieve really fast and high-quality operation of this component, and also want the installation of RAM to be successful.

Of course, the manufacturer is also of great importance. A good and well-known brand, such as hyperx RAM, is always a very good solution, since usually such a brand is associated with real quality, and you will be completely confident in the reliability of the RAM you purchased.

How to choose RAM for your PC? was last modified: April 29th, 2016 by MaximB

It has its own special properties that a regular stick of RAM does not have. Many users tried to use server RAM for gaming purposes, and why it didn’t work out for them will be clear below.

DDR3 RAM for regular computers

At the moment, most users use DDR3 RAM in their computers. Thanks to its frequencies, it is able to support work with both simple programs and applications, and gaming tasks.

Motherboards that work with DDR3 memory sticks have no more than four slots for RAM on their board. Many motherboards support dual-channel stream mode, that is, they are used in pairs. To improve computer performance, you can add more memory sticks, but their total amount of memory should not exceed 64 gigabytes.

You can find RAM strips in the form of a simple board and in the form of a strip with a protective case. There is a significant difference between the two types of planks. For example, a simple plate without all the additions does not have proper cooling, and therefore has no overclocking potential. Another thing is the strips, protected on all sides by radiators. This is done so that when overclocking and increasing the timing, the bar is not subject to heating, which has a positive effect on performance.

The ability to overclock RAM also depends on the capabilities of the motherboard. If the BIOS has an XMP profile, then the RAM frequencies can easily be overclocked from base to maximum frequencies.

DDR3 RAM for server hardware

When creating a modern server platform, you will need not only a large supply of memory for storing information, but also the possibility of fault tolerance and efficiency of all equipment. To increase data processing speed, you can simply upgrade the server RAM, while reducing hardware costs.

There are several for servers:

Parity RAM.
Registered RAM.
RAM with low voltage.
LR DIMM is a RAM that is capable of storing data on large-scale servers.

However, these types of server RAM are not compatible with each other.

The criteria by which equipment is selected to create a server must meet three points - high performance, reliability and the ability to purchase on the market. As for the material costs of maintaining server equipment, you need to take into account the total size of the RAM memory, because the more energy it consumes, the more expensive it costs to maintain the server.

An interesting fact, but server memory is tested under high loads, exceeding the temperature of the bar by up to 100 degrees Celsius. If 2 bars out of 10 thousand do not pass the test, then the entire series is rejected.

The difference between regular RAM and server memory

The first and striking difference between regular RAM and server RAM is the presence of a buffering chip. This microcircuit plays a protective role when the memory controller accesses several RAM strips simultaneously, since intensive processor load leads to an increase in current load. This is hardware support only.

As for software protection, it happens that any powerful electromagnetic radiation, or rather its neurons, can damage the bit depth of DDR3 server RAM. To avoid the consequences of such phenomena, manufacturers have added an error code correction (ECC) function, which can be found on some standard-purpose strips. The algorithm of this function processes the code digitally, independently calculating errors and correcting them.

To avoid confusing server memory with regular memory when purchasing, just look at the sticker with the barcode. If there is a letter value "REG" or "R", then this is an explicit marking of the server RAM. But the presence of ECC marking does not necessarily have to be server-side, since error correction control can also be in regular RAM. These are the main criteria for how server RAM differs from regular memory.

Characteristics of a motherboard for working with servers

First of all, what catches your eye when considering a server motherboard for DDR3 Server Memory is the connectors for multiple processors. Also on the board there are many connectors for RAM. There are many connectors for connecting other server equipment, although many modern boards have the ability to wirelessly connect server components.

Server motherboards have a special chipset configured for computing and calculations. It is its presence that determines whether the motherboard can support work with register and ECC memory strips. The motherboard does the main work with three integral components of the server - RAM, hard drive and processors.

The popular company Kingston presents 17 types of server RAM sticks in DDR4 format. The memory sizes of each stick vary from 4 to 32 gigabytes. These strips can be purchased separately, unlike “Kits” - sets that come in four pieces and have a total RAM capacity of 16 to 128 gigabytes. The last option is the most advantageous, since server creators do not have to worry about compatibility and total energy consumption.

Is it possible to use regular RAM in servers and vice versa?

Many users, seeing how fault-tolerant server RAM strips are, want to install such RAM on their gaming board. This misconception drives gamers into a dead end, so below we will give several arguments to refute the rumors that server RAM can exist in a gaming computer.

Despite all its power and reliability, server RAM has completely different parameters for working with numbers and calculations.

It’s not for nothing that two or even four processors are installed on a server motherboard, since data transfer requires additional clock cycles from the processor to operate. Also, when exchanging data, RAM uses ECC protocols, which significantly slows down the operation of RAM.

My respects dear site visitors. In the last article I wrote about. Now, having learned what it is and what and how it serves, many of you are probably thinking about purchasing a more powerful and productive RAM for your computer. After all, increasing computer performance with additional memory RAM is the simplest and cheapest (unlike, for example, a video card) method of upgrading your pet.

And... Here you are standing at the display case with packages of RAMs. There are many of them and they are all different. Questions arise: Which RAM should I choose?How to choose the right RAM and not make a mistake?What if I buy a RAM and then it doesn’t work? These are completely reasonable questions. In this article I will try to answer all these questions. As you already understand, this article will take its rightful place in the series of articles in which I wrote about how to choose the right individual computer components, i.e. iron. If you haven't forgotten, it included the following articles:
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This cycle will continue, and in the end you will be able to assemble for yourself a super computer that is perfect in every sense 🙂 (if finances allow, of course :))
In the meantime learning how to choose the right RAM for your computer.
Go!

RAM and its main characteristics.

When choosing RAM for your computer, you must take into account your motherboard and processor because RAM modules are installed on the motherboard and it also supports certain types of RAM. This creates a relationship between the motherboard, processor and RAM.

Find out about what RAM does your motherboard and processor support? You can go to the manufacturer’s website, where you need to find the model of your motherboard, as well as find out which processors and RAM it supports. If you don’t do this, it will turn out that you bought a super modern RAM, but it is not compatible with your motherboard and will gather dust somewhere in your closet. Now let's move directly to the main technical characteristics of RAM, which will serve as unique criteria when choosing RAM. These include:

Here I have listed the main characteristics of RAM that you should pay attention to first when purchasing it. Now we will reveal each of them in turn.

Type of RAM.

Today, the most preferred type of memory in the world is memory modules DDR(double data rate). They differ in release time and, of course, technical parameters.

DDR or DDR SDRAM(translated from English: Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory - synchronous dynamic memory with random access and double data transfer rate). Modules of this type have 184 contacts on the strip, are powered by a voltage of 2.5 V and have a clock frequency of up to 400 megahertz. This type of RAM is already obsolete and is used only in old motherboards.
DDR2- a type of memory that is widespread at this time. It has 240 contacts on the printed circuit board (120 on each side). Consumption, unlike DDR1, is reduced to 1.8 V. The clock frequency ranges from 400 MHz to 800 MHz.
DDR3- the leader in performance at the time of writing this article. It is no less common than DDR2 and consumes 30-40% less voltage compared to its predecessor (1.5 V). Has a clock frequency of up to 1800 MHz.
DDR4- a new, super modern type of RAM, ahead of its counterparts both in performance (clock frequency) and voltage consumption (and therefore characterized by lower heat generation). Support for frequencies from 2133 to 4266 MHz is announced. At the moment, these modules have not yet entered mass production (they promise to release them into mass production in mid-2012). Officially, fourth generation modules operating in DDR4-2133 at a voltage of 1.2 V were presented at CES by Samsung on January 4, 2011.

Amount of RAM.

I won’t write much about memory capacity. Let me just say that it is in this case that size matters :)
Just a few years ago, RAM of 256-512 MB satisfied all the needs of even cool gaming computers. Currently, for normal functioning of the Windows 7 operating system alone, 1 GB of memory is required, not to mention applications and games. There will never be too much RAM, but I’ll tell you a secret that 32-bit Windows uses only 3.25 GB of RAM, even if you install all 8 GB of RAM. You can read more about this.

Dimensions of the planks or the so-called Form factor.

Form - factor- these are the standard sizes of RAM modules, the type of design of the RAM strips themselves.
DIMM(Dual InLine Memory Module - a double-sided type of module with contacts on both sides) - mainly intended for desktop desktop computers, and SO-DIMM used in laptops.

Clock frequency.

This is a fairly important technical parameter of RAM. But the motherboard also has a clock frequency, and it is important to know the operating bus frequency of this board, since if you bought, for example, a RAM module DDR3-1800, and the motherboard slot (connector) supports the maximum clock frequency DDR3-1600, then the RAM module as a result will operate at a clock frequency of 1600 MHz. In this case, all sorts of failures, errors in the operation of the system, etc. are possible.

Note: Memory bus frequency and processor frequency are completely different concepts.

From the tables above, you can understand that the bus frequency, multiplied by 2, gives the effective memory frequency (indicated in the “chip” column), i.e. gives us the data transfer speed. The name tells us the same thing. DDR(Double Data Rate) - which means double the data transfer rate.
For clarity, I will give an example of decoding in the name of the RAM module - Kingston/PC2-9600/DDR3(DIMM)/2Gb/1200MHz, Where:
—Kingston- manufacturer;
- PC2-9600— name of the module and its capacity;
- DDR3(DIMM)— memory type (form factor in which the module is made);
— 2Gb— module volume;
- 1200MHz— effective frequency, 1200 MHz.

Bandwidth.

Bandwidth- a memory characteristic on which system performance depends. It is expressed as the product of the system bus frequency and the amount of data transferred per clock cycle. Throughput (peak data rate) is a comprehensive measure of capability RAM, it takes into account transmission frequency, bus width and the number of memory channels. The frequency indicates the potential of the memory bus per clock cycle - at a higher frequency, more data can be transferred.
The peak indicator is calculated using the formula: B=f*c, Where:
B is the bandwidth, f is the transmission frequency, c is the bus width. If you use two channels to transmit data, we multiply everything received by 2. To get a figure in bytes/s, you need to divide the result by 8 (since there are 8 bits in 1 byte).
For better performance RAM bus bandwidth And processor bus bandwidth must match. For example, for an Intel core 2 duo E6850 processor with a system bus of 1333 MHz and a bandwidth of 10600 Mb/s, you can install two modules with a bandwidth of 5300 Mb/s each (PC2-5300), in total they will have the system bus bandwidth (FSB) equal to 10600 Mb/s.
Bus frequency and bandwidth are denoted as follows: “ DDR2-XXXX" And " PC2-YYYY". Here "XXXX" denotes the effective memory frequency, and "YYYY" the peak bandwidth.

Timings (latency).

Timings (or latency)- these are time delays of the signal, which, in the technical characteristics of the RAM, are written in the form “ 2-2-2 " or " 3-3-3 " etc. Each number here expresses a parameter. In order it is always " CAS Latency"(working cycle time), " RAS to CAS Delay"(full access time) and " RAS Precharge Time» (pre-charge time).

Note

So that you can better understand the concept of timings, imagine a book, it will be our RAM that we access. Information (data) in a book (RAM) is distributed among chapters, and chapters consist of pages, which in turn contain tables with cells (like in Excel tables, for example). Each cell with data on the page has its own vertical (columns) and horizontal (rows) coordinates. To select a row, the RAS (Raw Address Strobe) signal is used, and to read a word (data) from the selected row (i.e., to select a column), the CAS (Column Address Strobe) signal is used. The full reading cycle begins with the opening of the “page” and ends with its closing and recharging, because otherwise the cells will be discharged and the data will be lost. This is what the algorithm for reading data from memory looks like:

the selected "page" is activated by applying the RAS signal;
data from the selected line on the page is transmitted to the amplifier, and a delay is required for data transmission (it is called RAS-to-CAS);
a CAS signal is given to select a (column) word from that row;
data is transferred to the bus (from where it goes to the memory controller), and a delay also occurs (CAS Latency);
the next word comes without delay, since it is contained in the prepared line;
after access to the row is completed, the page is closed, the data is returned to the cells and the page is recharged (the delay is called RAS Precharge).

Each number in the designation indicates how many bus cycles the signal will be delayed. Timings are measured in nanoseconds. The numbers can have values from 2 to 9. But sometimes a fourth one is added to these three parameters (for example: 2-3-3-8), called “ DRAM Cycle Time Tras/Trc” (characterizes the performance of the entire memory chip as a whole).
It happens that sometimes a cunning manufacturer indicates only one value in the RAM characteristics, for example “ CL2"(CAS Latency), the first timing is equal to two clock cycles. But the first parameter does not have to be equal to all timings, and may be less than others, so keep this in mind and do not fall for the manufacturer’s marketing ploy.
An example to illustrate the impact of timings on performance: a system with memory at 100 MHz with 2-2-2 timings has approximately the same performance as the same system at 112 MHz, but with 3-3-3 timings. In other words, depending on latency, the performance difference can be as much as 10%.
So, when choosing, it is better to buy memory with the lowest timings, and if you want to add a module to an already installed one, then the timings of the purchased memory must match the timings of the installed memory.

Memory operating modes.

RAM can operate in several modes, if of course such modes are supported by the motherboard. This single channel, two-channel, three-channel and even four-channel modes. Therefore, when choosing RAM, you should pay attention to this module parameter.
Theoretically, the speed of operation of the memory subsystem in dual-channel mode increases by 2 times, in three-channel mode – by 3 times, respectively, etc., but in practice, in dual-channel mode, the performance increase, unlike single-channel mode, is 10-70%.
Let's take a closer look at the types of modes:

Single channel mode(single-channel or asymmetric) – this mode is activated when only one memory module is installed in the system or all modules differ from each other in memory capacity, operating frequency or manufacturer. It doesn’t matter what slots or memory you install into. All memory will run at the speed of the slowest memory installed.
Dual Mode(dual-channel or symmetrical) - the same amount of RAM is installed in each channel (and theoretically the maximum data transfer rate is doubled). In dual-channel mode, memory modules work in pairs: 1st with 3rd and 2nd with 4th.
Triple Mode(three-channel) – the same amount of RAM is installed in each of the three channels. Modules are selected according to speed and volume. To enable this mode, modules must be installed in slots 1, 3 and 5/or 2, 4 and 6. In practice, by the way, this mode is not always more productive than the two-channel one, and sometimes even loses to it in data transfer speed.
Flex Mode(flexible) – allows you to increase the performance of RAM when installing two modules of different sizes, but the same operating frequency. As in dual-channel mode, memory cards are installed in the same connectors of different channels.

Generally, the most common option is dual-channel memory mode.
To operate in multi-channel modes, there are special sets of memory modules - the so-called Kit memory(Kit set) - this set includes two (three) modules, from the same manufacturer, with the same frequency, timings and memory type.
Appearance of KIT kits:
for dual channel mode

for three-channel mode

But the most important thing is that such modules are carefully selected and tested by the manufacturer itself to work in pairs (triples) in two- (three-) channel modes and do not imply any surprises in operation and configuration.

Manufacturer of modules.

Now on the market RAM Such manufacturers as have proven themselves well: Hynix, amsung, Corsair, Kingmax, Transcend, Kingston, OCZ…
Each company has its own for each product marking number, from which, if deciphered correctly, you can find out a lot of useful information about the product. Let's try to decipher the module marking as an example Kingston families ValueRAM(see image):

Explanation:

KVR– Kingston ValueRAM i.e. manufacturer
1066/1333 – operating/effective frequency (Mhz)
D3- memory type (DDR3)
D (Dual) – rank/rank. A dual-rank module is two logical modules wired onto one physical channel and alternately using the same physical channel (needed to achieve the maximum amount of RAM with a limited number of slots)
4 – 4 DRAM memory chips
R – Registered, indicates stable operation without failures or errors for as long a continuous period of time as possible
7 – signal delay (CAS=7)
S– temperature sensor on the module
K2– set (kit) of two modules
4G– the total volume of the kit (both slats) is 4 GB.

Let me give you another example of marking CM2X1024-6400C5:
From the labeling it is clear that this DDR2 module volume 1024 MB standard PC2-6400 and delays CL=5.
Stamps OCZ, Kingston And Corsair recommended for overclocking, i.e. have the potential for overclocking. They will have small timings and a clock frequency reserve, plus they are equipped with radiators, and some even coolers for heat removal, because When overclocking, the amount of heat increases significantly. The price for them will naturally be much higher.
I advise you not to forget about fakes (there are a lot of them on the shelves) and buy RAM modules only in serious stores that will give you a guarantee.

Finally:
That's all. With the help of this article, I think you will no longer be mistaken when choosing RAM for your computer. Now you can choose the right RAM for the system and increase its performance without any problems. Well, for those who will buy RAM (or have already bought it), I will dedicate the following article, in which I will describe in detail how to install RAM correctly into the system. Do not miss…

27. 06.2018

Blog of Dmitry Vassiyarov.

Server and regular memory - is there a difference?

Good day, my dear readers and I am glad to communicate with you again. Today's topic cannot be called popular, because it does not concern ordinary PCs. But in fact, the question of what is the difference between server RAM and regular RAM has increasingly become a concern for ordinary users.

I would attribute this to unsuccessful upgrade attempts based on the logical assumption that hardware for equipment operating 24/7 would be of better quality and more reliable. But in fact, server hardware is highly specialized components. Therefore, let's figure it out.

There is a significant difference between a server and a regular work or gaming PC due to the responsibility for the tasks being performed. Therefore, the requirements for the installed hardware are fundamentally different.

For server equipment that operates 24 hours a day, it must be not just reliable, but fault-tolerant. In server DDR memory this is achieved in different ways.

Hardware support

In particular, register RAM is installed on servers, which differs from conventional memory by the presence of an additional chip that acts as a buffer. It is smaller in size, located in the center of the bar, so you can easily distinguish such a module. Typically, for every 8 row chips, 1 buffer is installed. What is it for?

The fact is that on modern motherboards the RAM controller is an integral component of the processor. But since when simultaneously accessing several memory modules it is exposed to serious current loads (due to changes in the electrical capacitance of the chip during the “writing-reading” process), it needs reliable protection. This function is performed by the server register memory module buffer. Without it, the server processor could easily fail during intensive work.

Software method

During the process of reading information from memory chips, an error may occur due to the influence of external factors. Don’t be surprised, neutrons from cosmic and powerful electromagnetic radiation can easily change the state of a memory bit.

To minimize the consequences of this situation, the ECC (Error Correcting Code) correction function is used, which is also used in some individual modifications of conventional memory. The algorithm used in it is capable of independently detecting and correcting errors using mathematical methods of digital code processing. Need I say how important this is for the stable operation of the server?

I would like to immediately draw the readers’ attention to the marking of server memory. You may know that modules with ECC are designated by the letter “E”. But this does not mean at all that such a module is a server one.

Remember: only register memory can be server memory, and ECC is its mandatory component. The server memory bar is designated by letters marked “R” or “REG”, which means “Registered”. The type of RAM itself is called FB-DIMM (Full Buffered).

It is also worth adding that the fault tolerance of server RAM is ensured not only by the above methods. In addition to this, it undergoes special testing that simulates conditions of long-term operation (heating up to 100˚C) under intense load. After this, the memory modules are checked for compatibility with different software and hardware server platforms. This allows you to identify defective modules in a short time. If their quantity is more than required (2 strips out of 10,000 pieces), then the entire batch is rejected.

Differences That Matter

As you can see, the reliability of server RAM is simply amazing and it is quite natural that some users want to use it on a regular computer. But, my dear friends, there are several nuances here and I want you to know about them:

Exchange of information through a buffer will require additional work cycles; in addition, the ECC algorithm is used, which also requires additional processing time. As a result, server memory demonstrates much lower operating speed;

You understand perfectly well that the presence of additional chips and high requirements for the quality/reliability of the product significantly affect the final cost of the product. Therefore, the price of server memory is much higher than usual;
And finally, the main information for those who want to know: will register memory work on a regular motherboard? Will. But not on every one. Both server and gaming ones can accommodate a lot of RAM. They may have the ability to work with a RAM buffer. This technology allows you to significantly increase the amount of RAM without creating additional load on the processor. Therefore, always check the technical specifications of your motherboard and, perhaps, you will be able to install reliable server memory on your PC.

That's all the differences between server RAM. There are not many of them, but they are very significant.

This concludes my story and says goodbye to you. I hope to please you with new interesting articles soon.

See you and all the best to you!

Information technology is constantly evolving and new programs require more and more computer resources. Machines that were very powerful just a few years ago are now considered average or even very weak. Therefore, whether you like it or not, from time to time you have to buy new equipment or at least update the old one.

It is not always prudent to buy a new device if it is still possible to make the old one comply with the requirements without spending so much money. One of the critical components, the requirements for which are rapidly growing, is RAM. Previously, 4 Gigabytes was quite enough, but now 6-8 Gigabytes are considered the optimal amount.

When choosing RAM, you need to take into account a lot of nuances in order for it to work best, if at all, on your board. In this article we will look at how to choose RAM for a computer. But first you need to understand what characteristics the memory sticks differ in and what is more important to pay attention to.

A short introduction for beginners, RAM (Random Access Memory or RAM) is a volatile and very fast memory in which most computer operations are performed. The fact is that before information is written to disk, received from devices or processed by the processor, it enters RAM; all programs that are currently being executed by the processor and all their data are also stored here.

Random Access Memeory means memory with random, direct access. The processor can access any block of memory without affecting other blocks, and the speed of reading data does not depend on the location of the block. Unlike volatile memory, RAM works much faster and has no restrictions on the number of read-write operations, which is why it is used for temporary data storage.

Types of RAM

RAM has several characteristics and all of them must be taken into account when choosing an additional stick or new memory. It is very important that your RAM is compatible with each other, as well as with the motherboard. Therefore, before answering the question of how to choose RAM for a computer, let's consider all your parameters.

DDR, DDR2 and DDR3

At different times, RAM was produced to different standards. With each new standard, the quality, speed and amount of RAM increased with each new standard. But the motherboard only supports one specific standard.

Initially, there was DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Acces Memory), it made it possible to greatly increase the data transfer speed than the previously used SDRAM technology. DDR2 added a memory data cache and some other improvements.

But this was all a very long time ago, but now the DDR3 standard, which was proposed in 2005, has gained the most popularity. Compared to DDR2, it needs 1.5 Volts instead of 1.85, heat dissipation is reduced by 40%, and the operating speed is much increased - the throughput is twice that of DDR2.

More recently, a new standard has emerged - DDR4, which has even more significant advantages over previous generations. Here, performance was increased by 50%, energy consumption was reduced by 35%, data transfer speed was increased and many other parameters. But now it is quite rare.

Memory frequency

Memory frequency is measured in hertz and characterizes the number of data operations that a memory block can perform in one second. For DDR, frequencies of 200-400 were used, for DDR2 - 400-1066 MHz, DDR3 - 800 - 2400, and for DDR4 frequencies above 2133 MHz were used. In fact, the higher the frequency, the better the performance.

But this is not entirely true, because the higher the frequency, the greater the delay in RAM operation - timings, which means performance decreases. Therefore, a balance is obtained, the frequency increases, but performance remains at the same level.

Bandwidth

RAM bandwidth depends on the frequency and bus bandwidth. In fact, this parameter characterizes how many megabytes of data a RAM stick can handle per second. Speed is calculated by multiplying the bus bandwidth by the frequency. For example, if the frequency is 1600, the bus bandwidth for DDR3 is 8 bytes, then the memory speed will be 12800 MB/sec.

The operating speed is recorded in the format PC speed. For example, PC3-12800. PC - means standard - Personal Computer, and the number 2 or 3 means the DDR type version.

Now that we have examined the main parameters and characteristics of memory, let’s move directly to the question of how to choose the right RAM.

Which RAM should I choose?

If you need to choose RAM for a new motherboard, then this is one question, but if you need to select compatible RAM for a stick already installed in the system, then it is a little more complicated.

Type DDR

In both cases, you need to consider the DDR memory type, since the motherboard only supports one standard, and most likely it is DDR3. On Windows you can see the memory type using CPU-Z, and on Linux you can run the command:

sudo dmidecode -t 17

Please note that there will be several blocks of information and only one of them will be filled with information about your memory stick. In CPU-Z, open the Memory folder:

Supply voltage

The next very important parameter is the memory operating voltage. You can look at the parameters of your motherboard or find out at what voltage the installed bracket is currently operating. To do this, use the command:

sudo dmidecode -t 5

As I said, the DDR3 standard uses 1.5 Volts, but various modifications have been released, including laptop memory that can consume 1.35 Volts, so you need to be careful here too. In CPU-Z you can find out the voltage on the SPD tab, you may have to select a slot:

Compatible with Intel and AMD

Recently, memory sticks began to appear that are compatible only with Intel processors or only AMD processors; they are cheaper than regular memory sticks, but in order to choose the right RAM you need to pay attention to what processor you have, because such memory cards will be optimized for the bus commands of one manufacturer and for they won't work otherwise.

To achieve maximum compatibility with the installed memory, it is better to take memory with the same set of commands as is already available. For example, if you have a bracket that supports all processors, then this is the one you need to take.

Frequency and data transfer rate

These parameters are not so important for compatibility, but they are very important for performance, because if you set two brackets of different frequencies, then both of them will work at the same frequency - at a lower one. Therefore, if you want to achieve maximum performance, it is better to take two identical frequency bands. We can find out the frequency of the existing bar using the same command:

sudo dmidecode -t 17

Secondly, if you are selecting new sticks, then you need to look at the maximum data transfer rate for the processor bus. You can find this information on the manufacturer's website. For example, for my Intel Pentium(R) CPU B960 processor the page looks like this:

As you can see, the maximum processor throughput is 21.3 GB/sec. At the same time, I use memory with a frequency of 1033, in fact it is 1600, but the processor only supports 1033. Then we can calculate the memory bandwidth - 1033 * 8 = 8264 MB/sec or 8 GB/sec.

The memory bandwidth can be half that of the processor if you use two memory sticks, since in this case the processor can write to both at the same time. But if you want everything to work like this, then you need to choose strips that are as similar in parameters as possible. Thus, if I use two identical sticks, the total data transfer speed will be 16 Gb/sec in dual-channel mode. And that's pretty good. It is also important to note here that since the RAM bandwidth depends on the frequency, the same trend is observed here; if you take two sticks with different bandwidths, they will both work at a lower one.

To find out if you are using dual-channel mode, you can again use dmidecode:

sudo dmidecode -t 20

Here Interleaved Data Depth shows the number of channels; in this example, dual channel mode is not used. In CPU-Z, the number of active channels is shown in the tab Memory, parameter Channel:

Memory

We won't talk much about memory capacity. You yourself know how much you need. My opinion is that now 6-8 Gigabytes are quite enough. Just before buying, look at the maximum amount of memory your processor supports. Also, for dual-channel mode to work, both memory sticks must be the same size.

Manufacturer

Of course, it will be better if you take both RAM boards from the same manufacturer. But it doesn't really matter much. RAM chips are produced in only three factories, and only the products of two of them reach the masses - Micron and Samsung. Other manufacturers just buy these chips, install them on a memory board and add power supplies and cooling.

Therefore, this is not of fundamental importance, although it is advisable to choose devices from the same manufacturer.

conclusions

We have considered all the main aspects and you now know exactly which RAM to choose for your computer. When choosing a memory stick, you need to be very careful if you want not only everything to work but also to give maximum performance. And after purchasing, it is advisable to immediately test the new RAM in your device to make sure that it is working and compatible. If the bar turns out not to be working, then usually the sellers agree to a meeting and you can change it. If you have any questions, ask in the comments!

To conclude the video about the topic: