Certain embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for DRAM 2D video word formatting. In one aspect of the invention, words of data in a DRAM may be arranged for optimal DRAM operating efficiency. The data organization may utilize a 2-dimensional array of samples, for example. In one embodiment of the invention, a 128-bit or 16-byte word or GWord of DRAM may include an 8×2 array of luma samples, comprising 8 horizontal samples and 2 vertical samples from one field, for example. In this regard, either both may be even lines or both may be odd lines. Various other 2-dimensional arrangements may be chosen according to the demands of the video format being processed in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.