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Technology Stocks : Rambus (RMBS) - Eagle or Penguin -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ali Chen who wrote (48985)	8/5/2000 2:35:54 AM
From: Don Green	Respond to of 93625

Intel wrestling with Rambus ramifications Aug. 04, 2000 (Electronic Buyers News - CMP via COMTEX) -- It's been a long three-and-a-half years since Intel Corp. and Rambus Inc. first threw in their lot in an effort to promote a new high-performance memory interface for PC microprocessors. Intel's objective as stated at the time was to shrink the growing gap between CPU and DRAM data speeds, a gap that is still largely evident today. Fascinating that despite billons spent in R&D and incentive packages, mighty Intel has failed to significantly accelerate the course of DRAM evolution. The three-year product cycle is alive and apparently serving much of the industry well. Even the monumental DRAM crash of late 1995 did little to alter the rate of DRAM development. Sure SDRAM has been out there longer than anticipated. But given that it has moved from 66- to 100- and now to 133-MHz speed grades, its place at the pinnacle of the commodity memory market has not been overly long relative to the interfaces that preceded it. So the problem persists. The advent of double-data-rate SDRAM will push clock frequencies to four or five times their mid-90's rate, but microprocessor speeds continue to outpace main memory. The Direct Rambus interface was supposed to have set the world of PC performance aright (first in 1999 and then by the end of this year) by raising the bar for DRAM clock speeds. And still the industry waits. Given the usual haste with which it tackles technological challenges and enters new markets, Intel has shown an inordinant amount of patience when it comes to its Rambus development program. A costly product delay, the inability of Direct RDRAM to haul its cost structure into line, and foot dragging by top-tier DRAM makers have conspired to retard the PC market's adoption of the new interface to the point of inertia-no matter what small victories Rambus may claim in other areas. Intel's dogged pursuit of the Rambus end game is costing it market share in the core-logic chipset arena and more importantly is leaving a huge hole for Advanced Micro Devices to exploit on the processor front. Belated support for SDRAM in the Pentium III program-and now the Pentium 4-only accentuates the disappointment. Intel's effort to light a fire under the DRAM industry's development efforts is worthy of praise. Everyone wants systems that run faster and cost less. But it's execution that wins converts, and given Intel's recent record, it's time for the company to draft a new playbook. E-mail me with any comments at (amaclell@cmp.com). ebnonline.com