I like this part....
"Intel, of course, wants to avoid undermining its next-generation platform based purely on cost and availability considerations, observers said, particularly at the Willamette's point of introduction. Intel contends the 3.2-Gbyte/s bandwidth of the Tehama chipset virtually requires Direct RDRAM memory, and the company has designed its chipsets accordingly.
Intel customers say the company is hedging its bets by adding support for cheaper, higher-yield PC600 Direct RDRAM to certain Willamette chipsets. What's more, they say, Intel is adding a single-channel Direct Rambus chipset, the Tulloch, to help move the Willamette and Rambus platform down to the sub-$1,500 PC in 2001 (see story).
Whether Intel will be able to offer the maximum possible performance with its Willamette/Tehama/Direct RDRAM package is largely dependent on the availability of the highest Rambus speed grades. And that's an open question, according to DRAM makers.
Even Samsung Semiconductor Inc., the major volume supplier of Direct Rambus DRAM to the PC market, conceded that yields of the most desired 800-MHz Rambus version ?are still too low.? Bob Eminian, vice president of marketing at the San Jose company, said Samsung expects to devote up to 20% of its product mix to Direct RDRAM this year, but that only 20% of Rambus chips now shipping are binned out at 800 MHz. ?And that's a factor of yields,? Eminian said.
Intel's second concern is that short supplies of Direct RDRAM could restrict the availability of Willamette platforms using the Tehama -- and even the lower-end Tulloch -- chipsets, observers said.
ebns.com
Slipping down to PC600 that's gotta suck even worse then the slip from PC800 toPC700
Milo |
