You are helping a friend build a new gaming PC. To save on costs, they have opted to buy a new motherboard but keep their existing DDR2 memory from their previous PC. After having some trouble getting the memory to fit into the motherboard, you check the motherboard manufacturer's documentation and find it requires DDR3 memory. How should you proceed?
Enable the DDR downgrade feature using a jumper on the motherboard's pins.
Purchase a DDR2 to DDR3 slot adapter.
Purchase DDR3 memory from any manufacturer.
Buy the recommended memory from the same manufacturer as the motherboard.
DDR2 and DDR3 memory are not forward or backward compatible. They have differently positioned notches on the modules, making them physically incompatible with each other's slots on a motherboard. Additionally, they operate at different voltages (DDR2 at 1.8V, DDR3 at 1.5V), making them electrically incompatible. In this scenario, you must purchase new DDR3 memory for the new motherboard. Since RAM is made to a JEDEC standard, you do not need to purchase it from the motherboard manufacturer; any brand of DDR3 RAM that matches the motherboard's specifications will work.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
Why are DDR2 and DDR3 memory types physically incompatible?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
What do manufacturers mean by 'recommended memory' for a motherboard?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
What is an open standard, and how does it relate to DDR memory?