Bloomberg Newswire
October 19 , 2000
RDRAM takes lead as next PC memory standard
As SDRAM nears the end of the end of the road in performance, RDRAM* is now well on the way to becoming established as the next desktop DRAM standard. The transition from SDRAM to RDRAM has begun with the Intel® 820 chipset. Already demonstrating how faster memory can unlock PC system performance, RDRAM's performance gains promise to become even more pronounced as processor and front-side bus (FSB) frequencies increase. With systems proven and in high volume production, RDRAM is entering the next phase of semiconductor economics, as does all new technology, with increased competition driving volumes up and accelerating the manufacturing learning curve. Among the reasons for RDRAM's leadership as the next PC memory standard are: Higher performance. In an RDRAM system, the device speed has a much closer correlation to the system speed, meaning that improvements in device performance scale much more directly to system performance than with SDRAM technology. Bus Efficiency. A statistical analysis of the effective bandwidth of an RDRAM system indicates that it is nearly 90% efficient, yielding a sustainable bandwidth of over 1400 MB/s out of a peak theoretical bandwidth of 1600 MB/s. Scalability. The fundamental benefits of RDRAM accrue from its high per-device and per-pin bandwidth. The hard engineering problem of fast interconnect has been solved. This is why there is so much headroom in the technology. Quality. RDRAM is the first commodity memory technology that shares a common design database across vendors, in addition to a comprehensive specification. RDRAMs are validated at the component, module and system level using standardized processes at approved test facilities. The PC industry has recognized that a new memory technology is needed to allow processor performance to continue to improve. RDRAM systems are validated, stable, deployed, and ramping in volume, with sufficient headroom to carry systems through the next several generations of processors. |
