JEDEC publishes DDR3L low voltage memory standard

July 28, 2010 // Toni McConnel

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association has announced the publication of JEDEC DDR3L, an addendum to its JESD79-3 DDR3 Memory Device Standard.

Continuing the evolution of DDR3 as the dominant DRAM standard today, DDR3L will enable a significant reduction in power consumption for a broad range of products that utilize memory, including laptops, desktops, servers, networking systems and a wide array of consumer electronics products.

Called DDR3L for DDR3 Low Voltage, devices adhering to the new standard will operate from a single 1.35V power supply voltage compared to 1.5V in existing devices. Under the new standard, DDR3L memory devices will be functionally compatible to DDR3 memory devices, but not all devices will be interoperable at both voltage ranges.

The DDR3L standard defines the operating characteristics for DDR3L memory devices, with the devices offering a reduction in power consumption of 15 percent or more compared to DDR3 and 40 percent compared to DDR2 when operating at the same performance and load capacity. This reduction in power consumption, especially in memory-intensive systems, will have dramatic benefits in areas such as power supply demand, system cooling requirements, and potential packaging density.

“The JEDEC DDR3L standard defines an energy-efficient solution that benefits the environment, manufacturers and end users,” said Robert Feurle, Vice President DRAM Marketing, Micron Technology. “Device power consumption is a critical focus for our customers, and Micron is pleased to support the development of the DDR3L standard as a means to enable a reduction in power usage without impacting performance.”

“The benefits of using JEDEC DDR3L in the server market are immediately apparent,” added Joe Macri, Corporate Vice President, Chief Technology Officer Client Division, AMD. “The possibility of reduced power consumption and lowered cooling demands with no loss in performance can have a far-reaching, positive impact - especially as the industry strives to meet ever more challenging environmental requirements.”

Already available in limited supply from some manufacturers, 1.35V devices are forecasted to be widely available from suppliers, who have been working within JEDEC to ensure DDR3L-compatible devices may be procured from multiple sources. Rapid introduction will be facilitated by the fact that the fundamental specifications have not changed, and many systems will require only minor modifications in order to adhere to the new standard.

The updated version of JESD79-3, including the DDR3L addendum, is available for free download at www.jedec.org. All JEDEC standards are available online, at no charge. For more information, visit www.jedec.org.

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