Four standard operating frequencies for the DDR3 SDRAM Memory Module specification were developed to provide the use with the most suitable option: PC3-6400, PC3-8500, PC3-10600, and PC2-12800.

PC3-6400 memory module configurations utilize DDR3-800 components to achieve the highest performance, with a peak bandwidth of 6.4GB/s when used in systems operating on 400MHz memory clock frequency.

PC3-8500 memory module configurations utilize DDR3-1066 components to achieve the highest performance, with a peak bandwidth of 8.5GB/s when used in systems operating on 533 memory clock frequency.

PC3-10600 memory module configurations utilize DDR3-1333 components to achieve the highest performance, with a peak bandwidth of 10.6GB/s when used in systems operating on 667 memory clock frequency.

PC3-12800 memory module configurations utilize DDR3-1600 components to achieve the highest performance, with a peak bandwidth of 12.8GB/s when used in systems operating on 800MHz memory clock frequency.

DDR3 doubles the bandwidth available to your system once again and runs twice as fast as DDR3. DDR3 works very similar to DDR2 except that twice the number of data bits compared to DDR2 (or four times the data bits when compared to DDR), are fetched internally to enable transferring the sequential data at twice the speed of DDR2. Like DDR2 the data is transferred on both the rising and falling edge of the clock cycle enabling DDR3 to literally double the data transfer rate of the original bus clock. For example; with DDR3 a memory running with a clock of 533 or 667MHz will yield an effective data rate of 1066 or 1333 mega-transfers per second (MTS), doubling the data rate.

DDR2 is an emerging technology that is currently only supported by a small number of the latest microprocessors. DDR3 DIMM modules are available in a variety of form factors including 240 pin full-sized DIMM, 204 pin So-DIMM, and 240 pin Very Low Profile (VLP) DIMMs. These form factors are not interchangeable with the preceding DDR or DDR2 technology form factors.