What is a DIMM?
A DIMM is a Dual Inline Memory Module.
A DIMM is a small circuit board designed to hold a set of RAM chips.
A DIMM has a 64-bit data bus, which allows DIMM's to be connected one at a time to a CPU with a 64-bit data bus.
DIMM Sizes
DIMM's are available in several different physical sizes.
| Contact Count | Usage |
|---|---|
| 72 | SODIMM |
| 144 | SODIMM |
| 168 | SDRAM |
| 184 | DDR SDRAM |
| 240 | DDR2 SDRAM |
DIMM contacts are single sided, which means that a DIMM with 72 contacts will have 36 contacts on each side.
DIMM Types
DIMM modules are sold according to clock speed (MHz), bus speed (mega-transfers per second), and transfer rate (megabytes per second.
Standard SDR SDRAM DIMM's
| DIMM Module | Chip Type | Clock Speed | Bus Speed | Transfer Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC66 | 10ns | 66 | 66 | 533 |
| PC100 | 8ns | 100 | 100 | 800 |
| PC133 | 7.5/7ns | 133 | 133 | 1,066 |
Standard DDR SDRAM DIMM's
| DIMM Module | Chip Type | Clock Speed | Bus Speed | Transfer Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC1600 | DDR200 | 100 | 200 | 1,600 |
| PC2100 | DDR266 | 133 | 266 | 2,133 |
| PC2400 | DDR300 | 150 | 300 | 2,400 |
| PC2700 | DDR333 | 166 | 333 | 2,667 |
| PC3000 | DDR366 | 183 | 366 | 2,933 |
| PC3200 | DDR400 | 200 | 400 | 3,200 |
| PC3500 | DDR433 | 216 | 433 | 3,466 |
| PC3700 | DDR466 | 233 | 466 | 3,733 |
| PC4000 | DDR500 | 250 | 500 | 4,000 |
| PC4300 | DDR533 | 266 | 533 | 4,266 |
Standard DDR2 SDRAM DIMM's
| DIMM Module | Chip Type | Clock Speed | Bus Speed | Transfer Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC2-3200 | DDR2-400 | 200 | 400 | 3,200 |
| PC2-4300 | DDR2-533 | 266 | 533 | 4,266 |
| PC2-5400 | DDR2-667 | 333 | 667 | 5,333 |
| PC2-6400 | DDR2-800 | 400 | 800 | 6,400 |
168 Contact DIMM's
The earliest DIMM's were of the 168 contact variety. These DIMM's have come in a variety of configurations. It is possible to determine the configuration of the DIMM by examining the placement of notches on the bottom of the DIMM.
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