Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : AMD/INTC/RMBS et ALL -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Charles R who wrote (104)	9/22/1999 6:22:00 PM
From: grok	Respond to of 271

RE: "<Now for computers smaller than PCs (or those not using Microsoft software) granularity has already hit.> Is this true even in the context of improvments in Graphics/3D technology? In other words, do you see the memory requirements not increasing significantly to support more real-life-looking games?" Of course requirements continue to increase but dram density increases too. I say granularity has already hit in game products since PSII is using only 2 Rdrams. This is existence proof. RE: "<Higher power is not so nice in consumer products either and when a game is underway I wonder if any of the Rambus power down modes will be usable.> Do you think it is a big deal for a system that uses only 32 MB? Would your answer change after a generation (i.e., process shrink)?" In consumer products usually you have tiny little box with no fan. However, PSII has two monster chips with huge power consumption and I have no idea how it will be cooled. Maybe the Rdram power is small compared to the monster chips. But in other consumer products you've got to be real careful with thermal. As for what happens after a process shrink? The power in the Rambus external bus won't change since it is in the termination resistors. Internal power comes down when power supply comes down but that doesn't necessarily happen with every dram generation. Even when it does happen, the density goes up so you're back where you started from.