/ˌdiː diː ˈɑːr θriː/
n. — “DDR3: DDR that slimmed down to 1.5V and pretended 8n prefetch made it a bandwidth baron.”
DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3) SDRAM cranks DDR2's game with 8n prefetch architecture, fly-by topology, and 1.5V operation (1.35V low-voltage variant) to hit 800-2133 MT/s data rates on 400-1066MHz clocks while mocking DDR2's power-guzzling 1.8V habits. Building on DRAM cell foundations, DDR3 introduces dynamic ODT, CWL matching read CAS, and eight autonomous banks for rank interleaving that fakes concurrency across DIMM daisy chains. This generational leap fueled 2000s desktops/laptops before DDR4 stole the throne, spawning graphics mutants like early GDDR.
Key characteristics and concepts include:
- 8n prefetch bursting 8 column words per activate to pins in 4ck, pretending random column pokes don't tank bandwidth like DDR2's 4n wimp.
- Fly-by command/address bus with on-DIMM termination, slashing stub reflections so 3+ DIMMs per channel don't crosstalk into oblivion.
- Dynamic ODT juggling read/write terminations per rank, mocking motherboard resistors' multi-drop nightmares.
- Bank groups and ZQ calibration pretending analog drift doesn't murder eye diagrams at 2133MT/s.
In a memory controller ballet, DDR3 juggles rank timing offsets, page policies chasing row hits, and refresh sweeps while fly-by waves ripple commands down the channel—delivering desktop throughput bliss until DDR4's point-to-point purity arrived.
An intuition anchor is to see DDR3 as DDR in skinny jeans: same double-edged data hustle, but with prefetch muscles and voltage diet that doubled bandwidth without doubling the electric bill—until DDR4 flex harder.