The DDR is a kind of indication for the RAM version. The full meaning of DDR means double data rate. Due to its fast data transfer rate and overclocking compatibility, DDR4 RAM is becoming more popular. As a result, the motherboards are built to accommodate DDR4 RAM. So if you have a DDR3 ram in your house and are thinking about attaching it to a DDR4 ram, a question can appear in your mind, “Can you use ddr3 on a ddr4 motherboard?”
And the answer is no. A motherboard can not handle DDR3 and DDR4 memory at the same time. A motherboard’s RAM slots are all intended for the same generation of RAM. Different sorts of slots are available depending on the RAM generation. DDR4 memory contains 288 pins, while DDR3 memory has 240 pins.
Furthermore, their operation frequencies differ. As a result, the DDR3 motherboard can not be used with the DDR4 motherboard. As a result, a motherboard can not support both DDR3 and DDR4 memory.
The DDR3 RAM also won’t run on your DDR4 motherboard because of the lack of electrical power. The ddr4 motherboards run the ddr4 ram with the help of 1.2-volt electric power, whereas the ddr3 ram needs 1.5-volt electrical power. So it won’t run into your motherboard.
Can you use ddr3 on a ddr4 motherboard? – A proper discussion
No, you can’t use DD3 ram on a DD4 motherboard on your PC. It is physically impossible to install DD3 RAM on a PC with a DD4 motherboard. The first reason is the structure of the ram. The insert option of a DD4 ram in a DD4 motherboard is much different than the insert option of a DD3 ram in a motherboard.
As a result, DD3 RAM will not work on a DD4 motherboard. The DDR4 RAM modules are structured so that they will attach to the DDR4 motherboard with 288 pins. DDR3 RAM, on the other hand, is connected to DDR3 motherboards via 240 pins. As a result, if you try to attach the DDR3 RAM to the DDR4 motherboard, it won’t fit into the motherboard.
Then comes the memory controller. Both the DDR3 RAM and the DDR4 RAM have different memory controllers. These memory controllers are a particular type of circuit that helps the RAM transfer data to the CPU. As the ddr4 motherboard is designed for ddr4 ram, it is capable of running the ddr4 memory controllers.
But if you try to insert a DDR3 ram into a DDR4 motherboard, the DDR3 ram’s memory controller is not capable of running on the DDR4 motherboard. As a result, the RAM can’t run on a DD4 motherboard. Then comes the power use difference. The DDR3 RAM uses 1.5 volts of electricity for power, whereas the DDR4 RAM requires 1.2 volts of power.
These volt differences are not much, but you will face many differences in electricity bills when you run your PC on a heavy scale. The DD4 motherboards are designed to run DD4 RAM at low electrical power. As a result, if you try to install DDR3 RAM on a DDR4 motherboard, the DDR3 will not work on your PC due to the difference in electrical power.
After that, we can talk about the speed of data transfer. The ddr4 rams are designed to operate at data transfer rates between 2133 and 3200 MHz. You can bypass this speed by overclocking the RAM, and the data transfer rate will rise to 4800 Mhz.
The DDR4 motherboards are designed to handle these levels of data transfer rates. As a result, your motherboard will transfer data at this rate with other components of your PC. But the DDR3 RAM can transfer data between 800 and 1600 MHz. DDR3 RAM can also be overclocked.
But the data transfer rate will rise only up to 3200 MHz. As a result, DDR3 ram cannot compete with DDR4 motherboards’ high data transfer rates. So, in the end, we can be sure that the motherboards are designed for only one type of ram. If you have a ddr4 motherboard and you try to use ddr3 ram on it, you can’t use that ram on that motherboard.
What will happen if you use DD3 on a DD4 motherboard?
To begin with, DDR3 RAM can not be connected to a DDR4 motherboard. Installing DD3 RAM on a PC with a DD4 motherboard is physically impossible. The ram’s structure is the first cause. A DD4 ram’s insert option in a DD4 motherboard is quite different from a DD3 ram’s insert option in a motherboard.
As a consequence, DD3 RAM is incompatible with DD4 motherboards. The DDR4 RAM modules are designed to use 288 pins to connect to the DDR4 motherboard. DDR3 RAM, on the other hand, uses 240 pins to connect to DDR3 motherboards. As a consequence, you won’t be able to install DDR3 RAM on a DDR4 motherboard since it won’t fit.
After that, there’s the memory controller. The memory controllers for DDR3 and DDR4 RAM are different. These memory controllers are a sort of circuit that aids in the transport of data from the RAM to the CPU.
The DDR4 motherboard is capable of operating the DDR4 memory controllers since it was intended for DDR4 ram. As a result, if you are somehow still able to attach the DDR3 RAM to a DDR4 motherboard, the memory controller will not run.
However, if you attempt to put a DDR3 ram into a DDR4 motherboard, the memory controller on the DDR3 ram isn’t compatible with the DDR4 motherboard. As a consequence, the RAM is incompatible with DD4 motherboards. Then there’s the difference in power use. The DDR3 RAM needs 1.5 volts of power, but the DDR4 RAM requires 1.2 volts of power.
These voltage fluctuations are small, but they will have a significant impact on your power expenditures if you operate your PC on a large scale. DD4 motherboards are built to operate DD4 RAM on very little power. As a consequence, if you attempt to put DDR3 RAM on a DDR4 motherboard, the DDR3 will not operate because of the electrical power differential.
After that, we may discuss data transmission speed. The ddr4 rams are intended to transport data at speeds ranging from 2133 to 3200 MHz. Overclocking the RAM will increase the data transmission rate to 4800 Mhz, allowing you to circumvent this limit.
These data transfer speeds are intended to be handled by DDR4 motherboards. As a consequence, your motherboard and other PC components will transmit data at this pace. However, DDR3 RAM can carry data at speeds ranging from 800 to 1600 MHz. Overclocking DDR3 RAM is also possible.
However, the data transmission rate will only increase to 3200 MHz. As a consequence, DDR3 ram can not compete with the fast data transfer speeds of DDR4 motherboards. As a result, if you are somehow still able to attach the DDR3 RAM to a DDR4 motherboard, the DDR3 will not function properly because of the heavy difference in data transfer rate.
Finally, we can be certain that the motherboards are only built to support one kind of RAM. If you have a ddr4 motherboard and attempt to utilize ddr3 memory on it, you will be unable to do so.
Frequently Asked Question
Still, have some questions? Check the section below then.
Can a motherboard support both DDR3 and DDR4?
No, a motherboard can’t support both DDR3 and DDR4 ram. The RAM slots on a motherboard are designed for the same generation of RAM. A different generation of RAM has different types of slots. The DDR4 ram has 288 pins, whereas the DDR3 ram has 240 pins. Also, their operating frequencies are different. As a result, the DD3 can’t be installed on the DD4 motherboard. So a motherboard can’t attach both DDR3 and DDR4 ram.
Can I use DDR3 RAM in a DDR4 slot laptop?
No, you can’t use DDR3 RAM in a DDR4 slot laptop. The DDR3 RAMs have different numbers of pins in their slots. So they won’t fit into a DDR4 slot laptop. The DDR3 ram has 240 pins in its slots, whereas the DDR4 has 288 pins. These pins are used to attach to the RAM slot of a motherboard. Because of the different types of slots, DD3 cannot be installed on the DD4 motherboard.
How to identify DDR3 and DDR4 RAM physically?
If you want to identify the ddr3 ram and ddr4 physically, you can follow the lower processes. They are:
- The DDR4 ram has 288 pins, whereas the DDR3 ram has 240 pins.
- If the keyway is located in the middle of the RAM stick, it is DD4. Otherwise, the keyway will be located on any side of the ram stick, and it is a DDR3 ram.
If still, you have any confusion, watch the video below:
Conclusion
The DDR stands for Dynamic Random Access Memory. DDR stands for “double data rate” in its complete sense. As a result of its rapid data transfer rate and overclocking compatibility, DDR4 RAM is becoming increasingly popular. As a result, motherboards are designed to support DDR4 RAM.
So, if you have DDR3 ram and are considering upgrading to DDR4, you might wonder, “Can you use ddr3 on a ddr4 motherboard?” And the answer is a resounding no. On the same motherboard, DDR3 and DDR4 memory cannot be used simultaneously. The RAM slots on a motherboard are all designed for the same generation of RAM. Depending on the RAM generation, different types of slots are available. DDR4 memory has 288 pins, whereas DDR3 memory only has 240.
Furthermore, the frequency of their operations differs. As a result, the DDR3 motherboard is not compatible with the DDR4. As a result, a motherboard can’t handle DDR3 and DDR4 memory at the same time. Due to a shortage of electrical power, DDR3 RAM will not work on your DDR4 motherboard. The DDR4 ram is powered by 1.2-volt electronic power on DDR4 motherboards, but the DDR3 ram requires 1.5-volt electrical power. As a result, it will not collide with your motherboard.
