Z-RAM... VERY Interesting

[RocketRobin]

Check this out: http://www.us.design-reuse.com/news/news9538.html

Then this: http://news.com.com/2061-10791_3-6029475.html?part=rss&tag=6029475&subj=news

IMO, quintupling the L2 cache on an AMD2 could pretty much solve any system memory latency issues, plus add a nice bump in performance. And hey, since cache real estate values just dropped by 80%, why not add some L3 to the die?

Z-RAM technology can allow wafer production costs to remain consistent with current products, while adding a ton of value to the dice. How about a nine core IBM Cell CPU for PC? One of those should be able to run all of the upcoming games, simultaneously ;-)

 

[Action_Man]

Old.

 

[RocketRobin]

Old.

How so? AMD has just licenced this technology and it's going down now.

 

[MadModMike]

Old.

How so? AMD has just licenced this technology and it's going down now.

It's been "goin down" for nearly 2 months now actually.

~~Mad Mod Mike, pimpin' the world 1 rig at time

 

[excentric_13073]

It is interresting tech. I predict it will take a while for AMD to integrate it into thier processors; I assume right now thier resources are directed at moving to AM2. However, when intel unleashes the Conroe, AMD might move it up on the list of priorities. Right now they have a bit of a lead, and so the performance of thier processors is not as important as the move to a different platform and ram type.

 

[K8MAN]

So does this mean AMD will have 4MBL2 cache AM2's with DDR2/3 support @ conroe's release?

 

[CompGeek]

It will take a lot of time untill ZRam will take shape. With no doubt it will be a cutting turn allowing huge cache. But we won't see that untill 2008?. By then probably there will be another next bigger thing.

 

[excentric_13073]

I think that with pressure from Intel, AMD could move the time for development and eventuall product placement much sooner; depending on what Intel has to offer, I predict that AMD will release components with Z-ram sometime in 2007.

 

[BaronMatrix]

ZRAM will happen soon because 8+ way servers HAVE TO HAVE L3. AMD is not building processors to compete with Intel but to increase the ability of the processors. They were ahead to 1GHz, mainstream 64-bit, dual core, scalable bus, low power high speed chips, etc.

Intel is reacting to AMD because they thought their dealings with OEMs would keep AMD down and it backfired. At any rate not to sound fanboyish but AMD is now the tech leader even though Intel is the sales leader. No one knows their exact plans because they don't want to give Intel the chance to throw billions at "emulating" their tech.

 

[CompGeek]

Who knows.
Here's a nice insigt on the hole thing. Interesting
http://www.innovativesilicon.com/en/technology_roadmap.php

 

[Spitfire_x86]

If this technology helps AMD to bring out sub $100 dual core processors in the market, then I'm interested 8)

 

[excentric_13073]

With the development costs involved with bringing z-ram to market, I doubt it'll affect the budget processors. It would likely debut in server or workstation processors (read: Opteron) and eventually filter down to high-end Athlon X2's. Extra cache for an Athlon would be a very welcome, and would likely help it's perfomance in media applications. It would surprise me very much to see the technology filter down to entry products.