DDR2Generation

DDR2Generation refers to the second generation of double data rate SDRAM (DDR2 SDRAM). Introduced by JEDEC in the early 2000s, it followed DDR SDRAM and was adopted widely in desktops, notebooks, and servers during the mid- to late-2000s. The generation aimed to deliver higher bandwidth and lower power consumption to support faster processors and more memory-intensive workloads.

Technical characteristics include a prefetch architecture that effectively doubles available bandwidth and a lower operating voltage around 1.8 volts compared with DDR’s 2.5 volts, contributing to reduced power use and heat. DDR2 memory modules supported speeds roughly from 400 MT/s (DDR2-400) up to 1066 MT/s (DDR2-1066), with corresponding marketed levels such as PC2-3200 through PC2-8500. The higher clock speeds required compatible motherboards and chipsets capable of delivering the new signaling and timing.

Form factors and compatibility: DDR2 modules are designed for the DDR2 memory space, most notably desktop DIMMs and notebook variants. They are not compatible with DDR or DDR3 sockets due to different pin counts and signaling. Motherboards and CPUs had to specifically support DDR2 to operate at its advertised speeds and timings.

Market presence and decline: DDR2 was the dominant memory generation in the mid- to late-2000s for many systems, including mainstream desktops, laptops, and servers. As manufacturing costs fell and performance demands increased, DDR3 emerged as its successor in the late 2000s, and DDR2 usage declined in new builds by the early 2010s.

See also: DDR SDRAM, DDR3 SDRAM, JEDEC.