AMD DEMONSTRATES FIRST AMD ATHLON? PROCESSOR PLATFORM SUPPORTING DOUBLE DATA RATE (DDR) MEMORY
amd.com
AMD DEMONSTRATES FIRST AMD ATHLON? PROCESSOR PLATFORM SUPPORTING DOUBLE DATA RATE (DDR) MEMORY
April 24, 2000--AMD today demonstrated a prototype AMD Athlon? processor platform featuring support for high performance double data rate (DDR) memory. DDR memory is the highest-bandwidth and lowest latency PC memory technology currently available, and is planned to enable the AMD Athlon processor platform to deliver new levels of performance on math-intensive applications like video editing, CAD/CAM, scientific applications, and Internet content creation.
The technology demonstration was done in conjunction with the leading memory manufacturers that plan to produce DDR memory this year, including Micron, Samsung, Toshiba, Hitachi, NEC, Hyundai, and Infineon Technologies. Both the AMD-760? chipset and DDR memory modules are planned to be available in the second half of 2000. DDR memory heavily leverages existing Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) technologies, the most common memory found in today's leading PCs. Next-generation DDR memory is thus expected to be manufactured at cost levels that are in line with today's mainstream PC memory costs.
"Our OEM partners have requested that AMD develop next-generation chipsets that deliver high-performance platforms at competitive costs," said David Somo, vice president of product marketing for the Computations Product Group at AMD. "Responding to demand for DDR technology, AMD is working with the leading DDR memory manufacturers to help AMD deliver the next generation of high-performance AMD Athlon workstation and PC platforms."
"DDR memory technology has already made its way into high-end server platforms, driven by the performance, capacity, cost, and infrastructure continuity of the next-generation technology," said Bert McComas, principal analyst at InQuest Market Research. "The AMD-760 chipset looks to bring the advantages of DDR memory technology to the workstation and high-end PC user, where a key element in the memory performance equation is to deliver superior performance without adding significantly to system cost. DDR technology should to be the solution to deliver this combination."
Industry Support for DDR Memory Standard Continues To Grow
"Micron Technology is pleased to be demonstrating an AMD Athlon processor-based DDR SDRAM system in our booth at WinHEC," said Jeff Mailloux, director of DRAM Marketing for Micron. "Recent industry benchmarks establish that DDR SDRAM systems deliver industry-leading performance. Plus, we believe that we will be able to produce DDR SDRAM memory at similar costs as PC100/133 SDRAM. DDR SDRAM is an evolutionary step beyond SDRAM, enabling us to leverage current manufacturing processes. By combining leading-edge performance and competitive costs, the DDR SDRAM delivers multiple advantages to our customers."
"Samsung is dedicating millions of dollars to the design, manufacturing, and validation of high-performance, next-generation DDR memory modules," said Bob Eminian, vice president of marketing and corporate communications at Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. "The performance advantage DDR memory delivers, coupled with our ability to leverage current SDRAM manufacturing processes to bring DDR memory to market at competitive costs, will help accelerate the adoption and proliferation of this exciting new technology."
"Hyundai Electronics strongly supports Double Data Rate memory technology and has invested considerable resources into the design, manufacturing, and validation of high-performance, next-generation DDR memory modules," said Mario Martinez, director of strategic marketing at Hyundai Electronics America. "DDR memory delivers performance advantages that when coupled with Hyundai's proven SDRAM manufacturing process and significant capacity, makes adoption of DDR very attractive--both in terms of time-to-market and low-cost."
DDR Memory and Chipset Validation Work Underway
Additionally, today SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. announced the launch of an industry-wide DDR enabling Validation Program. As a member of JEDEC and AMI2, SMART is committed to helping enable new high-performance memory technologies. SMART is an independent, third-party validation test house which verifies critical DDR SDRAM specifications, providing OEMs with increased confidence when designing systems featuring DDR memory technology. The goal of this program is to verify that each supplier's DDR memory modules are functioning correctly with AMD's chipsets that support DDR memory. AMD has also been working closely with several memory vendors throughout the development phases of DDR devices and modules to ensure compatibility.
High-Performance DDR Memory
Double Data Rate (DDR) memory technology is the industry's successor to SDRAM. With DDR's 266 MHz bandwidth, it can achieve memory bandwidth up to 2.6 times the bandwidth of SDRAM, at similar costs.
AMD and its partners will be displaying AMD Athlon processor-based platforms supporting DDR memory for all WinHEC attendees at the AMD booth (#400). The conference is located in New Orleans, Louisiana from April 24 to April 26, 2000.
Cautionary Statement
This presentation contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are generally preceded by words such as "expects", "plans", "believes", "anticipates", or "intends." Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this presentation involve risks and uncertainty that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Forward-looking statements in this presentation about AMD chipset products involve the risk that AMD may not develop the new products on the expected timetable or at all, that third parties may not provide DDR memory as needed for support of the AMD chipsets, and/or that various DDR memory modules may not function correctly with AMD's chipsets. We urge investors to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including the most recently filed Form-10K.
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