NV30 to use 1GHz DDRII memory

[[Ch]amsalot]

At least that's what The inquirer reported on Friday here

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=5833

I'll believe it when I see it.


-[Ch]ams

[dZeus]

hmm, if they chose to risk the delays and potential last minute problems to use this kind of exotic memory (no official DDR-II specs yet?), then it sounds like they are pretty desperate in trying to beat the performance benefit of the 256-bit memory bus used by competitors.

Or they are very poor at planning

perhaps the same can be said for their use of 0.13µ

[dZeus]

anyway, with current DDR reaching it's limit at ~400 MHz (200MHz actual speed), it seems a tad unlikely to me that DDR-II will run at 1Ghz (500MHz actual speed) with initial batches...

and don't forget that it's the inquirer that provides this news.

[Novdid]

And don't forget that DDR2, if I'm not wrong, runs at higher latencies than conventional DDR. So you can say that it needs the high frequency.

[superfly]

Thing is,even with DDR II running at 500 mhz(1000 effective),you're still looking at around 15 gig/sec worth of bandwith if they still use a conventional 128 bit bus...


The 9700 has 20 gig's worth and the core is very well desingned to take the max advantage of that bandwith...

[Tempest]

Originally posted by dZeus
(no official DDR-II specs yet?)

http://www.ebnonline.com/showArticle...icleID=2912389
Okay, they say "preliminary" specs, but they also say they will turn their attention towards DDR-III... The standard lists 400, 533 and possibly 667 and 800 MHz DDR-II items. "Samples available in 2002, production coming 9-18 months later", but then again, that ain't DDR-II for graphics: http://www.ebnonline.com/showArticle...icleID=2916696 says that "modified DDR-II chips would come about a year before the full-featured version begins to enter the PC main memory market". So in a best case scenario, they should have it Real Soon Now.

Originally posted by Novdid
And don't forget that DDR2, if I'm not wrong, runs at higher latencies than conventional DDR. So you can say that it needs the high frequency.

NV30 to R300: "Look, I've still got some preparin' to do, but why don't ya run ahead and I'll catch ya later"

[superfly]

Oh by the way...Look at this bit interesting info....

www.rage3d.com/#1034776458...


I think that ATI has Nvidia's number IMHO....

[isochar]

Perhaps you should read your first "note to self..." (Under Siege 2, that computer guy rocked )

[superfly]

Oh i know...Never assume anything...

Still,it feels kinda weird to see ATI on top for nearly 2 months now and will remain that way for some time still(2~3 months more,perhaps?)...Nvidia's CEO must be going nuts...LOL.

Btw how's your 9700 running?....

[Hati]

Looks like ATI is ready for DDRII too :

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ATI demonstrates world's first graphics cards powered by DDR-2 technology

ATI engineering team adds vigor to cinematic revolution

Tuesday, October 22, 2002




MARKHAM, Ontario - In a move that solidifies ATI's (TSX: ATY, NASDAQ: ATYT) position as the world leader in defining and implementing the latest graphics technology, ATI engineers became the first to demonstrate a visual processing unit (VPU) powered by second-generation double-data rate (DDR) dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), known as DDR-2.

ATI also announced a DDR-2 variant for mobile graphics and mid-range desktop graphics, code-named DDR-2M, and demonstrated the technology working on a desktop graphics card. DDR-2M delivers DDR-2 performance with lower power consumption, reduced heat dissipation and simplified board design. ATI worked closely with Elpida Memory Inc to develop DDR-2M as part of ATI's ongoing commitment to moving technology innovation aggressively out to the masses.

Seen as a clear improvement on existing DDR DRAM technology that first arrived on the market in 1998, DDR 2 and DDR-2M follow and leverage the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council's (JEDEC) DDR-2 specification. DDR-2 is the technological foundation for the eagerly anticipated third-generation DRAM for graphics (GDDR3) due out next year, an industry-wide initiative led by ATI. DDR-2 and DDR-2M are evolutionary DRAMs designed with the goals of improving high-end graphics performance, signal integrity and reliability while simplifying design.

"ATI is a leader in adopting and defining memory technology to advance and define tomorrow's visual reality," said Joe Macri, Director of Technology, ATI Technologies Inc, and Chairman, JC42.3 DRAM Committee, JEDEC. "With the RADEON 9700 PRO, ATI demonstrated that leadership by defining the GDDR3 spec and becoming the first to ship a VPU with a high-speed 256 bit memory interface, and that leadership continues today with the first DDR-2 and DDR-2M powered graphics boards."

"We expect that, given competitive pricing and the support of the major graphics controller and memory vendors, DDR-2 will take over from DDR as the market's favored memory type for graphics cards, at least in the short term, because it supports higher speed and wider bandwidth and will be available before DDR-2 for main memory," said Soo-Kyoum Kim, IDC memory analyst.

"Elpida is pleased to be working with ATI to develop advanced memory technologies that will drive the cinematic revolution," said Jun Kitano, Director of Technical Marketing at Elpida Memory (USA), Inc. "Elpida is focused on supporting innovative graphics technology for mainstream and mobile applications, and both ATI and Elpida are equally committed to making this leading-edge technology available to the widest possible cross-section of the market so all users can benefit."




Copyright 2002 ATI Technologies Inc. All rights reserved. ATI and ATI product and product feature names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ATI Technologies Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Features, pricing, availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.

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found at

http://mirror.ati.com/companyinfo/press/2002/4555.html

Hati