GDDR3
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GDDR3, Graphics Double Data Rate 3, is a graphics card-specific memory technology, designed by ATI Technologies.
It has much the same technological base as DDR2, but the power and heat dispersal requirements have been reduced somewhat, allowing for higher-speed memory modules, and simplified cooling systems. Unlike the DDR2 used on graphics cards, GDDR3 is unrelated to the upcoming JEDEC DDR3 specification. This memory uses internal terminators, enabling it to better handle certain graphics demands. To improve bandwidth, GDDR3 memory transfers 4 bits of data per pin in 2 clock cycles.
Despite being designed by ATI, the first card to use the technology was nVidia's GeForce FX 5700 Ultra, where it replaced the DDR2 modules used up to that time. The next card to use GDDR3 was nVidia's GeForce 6800 Ultra, where it was key in maintaining reasonable power requirements compared to the card's predecessor, the GeForce 5950 Ultra. ATI began using the memory on its Radeon X800 cards. GDDR3 is Sony's choice for the PlayStation 3 gaming console's graphics processor, although the main system memory will be comprised of XDR DRAM. Microsoft's Xbox 360 is also shipped with 512 MB of GDDR3 memory, and is helping to pioneer the use of this memory as standard system memory rather than only video memory. the Nintendo Wii comes with 64MB "external memory" also <ref name="GDDR3 in Wii. Samsung part # lookup, see picture of RAM chip">Samsung GDDR3. Samsung. Retrieved on 2006-05-22.</ref>.
DDR3 memory is a different technology from GDDR3.
