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Intel & RAMBUS, chapter 2
It wasn't bad enough that the attempt by Intel to jam RAMBUS memory (RIMM's) down the markets throat with the i8xx chisets failed miserably when the RIMM's couldn't be produced in high enough volumes and were marketed at highly inflated prices.
Intel ended up having to provide SDRAM compatability for the i8xx's, and the recent failure of that little exercise will cost them and their stockholders almost $100 million in recall costs.
Now there's another problem for them to worry about.
The memory manufacturers recently walked out of a meeting with Intel, refusing to make larger quantities of RIMM's until the OEM's commit to long term production contracts. The OEM's are not exactly falling all over themselves to do this.
This of course leaves Intel and their i8xx chipsets a bit in the lurch. This also means their many of Intels upcoming processor lines are in trouble as RIMM memory was an integral part of their design from the get-go.
Meanwhile AMD is sitting back, ready to release 10 new processors in June. Their chips can run on 133mhz SDRAM and DD-SDRAM, both of which will be cheaper than RIMM's. DD-SDRAM (2x SDRAM) will be coming to market soon and QD-SDRAM (4x SDRAM) has already been announced.
And then there is AMD SledgeHammer 64 bit x86 processor. It can run existing 32 bit software in addition to 64 bit coded software. Intels upcoming 64 bit processor cannot.
For some good reasons to pass up RIMM memory even after the i8xx chipsets are fixed read this article and the tests done at Toms Hardware:
http://www.tomshardware.com/mainboar...rambus-01.html
The reasons run from economic to performance to what is just plain wrong witih RAMBUS's behaviour in the market.
Dr. Mordrid
[This message has been edited by DrMordrid (edited 22 May 2000).]
Intel ended up having to provide SDRAM compatability for the i8xx's, and the recent failure of that little exercise will cost them and their stockholders almost $100 million in recall costs.
Now there's another problem for them to worry about.
The memory manufacturers recently walked out of a meeting with Intel, refusing to make larger quantities of RIMM's until the OEM's commit to long term production contracts. The OEM's are not exactly falling all over themselves to do this.
This of course leaves Intel and their i8xx chipsets a bit in the lurch. This also means their many of Intels upcoming processor lines are in trouble as RIMM memory was an integral part of their design from the get-go.
Meanwhile AMD is sitting back, ready to release 10 new processors in June. Their chips can run on 133mhz SDRAM and DD-SDRAM, both of which will be cheaper than RIMM's. DD-SDRAM (2x SDRAM) will be coming to market soon and QD-SDRAM (4x SDRAM) has already been announced.
And then there is AMD SledgeHammer 64 bit x86 processor. It can run existing 32 bit software in addition to 64 bit coded software. Intels upcoming 64 bit processor cannot.
For some good reasons to pass up RIMM memory even after the i8xx chipsets are fixed read this article and the tests done at Toms Hardware:
http://www.tomshardware.com/mainboar...rambus-01.html
The reasons run from economic to performance to what is just plain wrong witih RAMBUS's behaviour in the market.
Dr. Mordrid
[This message has been edited by DrMordrid (edited 22 May 2000).]
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