ADATA released several new SO-DIMM memory kits based on the DDR4 memory standard and new memory modules. These new memory modules come in either 4 GB or 8 GB capacities operating at 2133 MHz, and will be sold in 8 GB and 16 GB kits.
On the desktop, DDR4 has come out to mixed reactions. Some see it as a major component of the new Skylake platform, helping to push performance higher than ever, while others see DDR4 as not being any better than DDR3. Although the advantages of DDR4 on the desktop are currently debatable, the benefits for mobile users are clear.
One benefit DDR4 brings to laptops is the use of a lower voltage relative to DDR3 — 1.2 V compared to 1.5 V. This 20 percent drop in power consumption should help extend battery life.
In addition to the lower power consumption, DDR4 also offers higher clock speeds and more bandwidth. On desktop systems, this increase in clock speed was somewhat mitigated by fast DDR3 clocked at a similar 2133 MHz or higher, but notebook RAM typically didn’t reach beyond 1600 MHz. Not to mention many laptops use integrated graphics, which also rely on the bandwidth from the system memory. As such, the increase in bandwidth that DDR4 brings is fairly substantial.
Currently, there is no word on pricing from ADATA, but the RAM kits should show up on the market soon.
