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What Will Be The Next Generation Of RAM?

Posted by Cliff on from the hopefully-better-than-SIMMS dept.

Wister285 asks: "I've been hearing a lot about new RAM technologies. Two of the main new forms seem to be RDRAM and DDRAM. Little known to a lot of people currently though is MRAM (magnetic RAM that works more like a hard drive than an electric memory saver, which means that RAM memory is never erased until the computer says so, even through power offs). MRAM seems to be the best form of RAM, but it might not be out for another 1 or 2 years. With these three choices, what is the next generation RAM?"

5 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. Some links: by Datafage · · Score: 5
    Since the poster did not deign to supply any links, here are a few:

    EDTN

    Stanford

    ABC News

    Hope this helps.

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    Nicotine free Amish .sig.

  2. To clear things up... by smasch · · Score: 5

    First of all, RDRAM, SDRAM, and DDR SDRAM are all forms of DRAM, the only difference is in the interface between the memory array itself and the outside world. SDRAM and DDR SDRAM both accept an address from the address bus and output the data on (or write the data from) the data lines. RDRAM uses a packetized interface which can be more efficient for linearly accessing memory, however, it is extremely slow for randomly accessing data. However, all of these types of memory are forms of DRAM that have single transistor/capacitor cells which can each store a bit. One interesting thing to note about DRAM is that it may not be able to scale down much more: As processes get smaller, capacitances get smaller and transistors no longer completely turn off (meaning charges can leak off). This means that the cells need to be refreshed (recharged) more frequently, limiting the usefulness of the device.

    MRAM is a new technology that stores data magnetically. I don't know too much about this, but I would be guessing it would be quite a while until we see this in every computer. It will probably be available in portable devices in 2 to 5 years, however, low production quantites (and high prices that go along with this) will almost certainly keep this memory technolgy from entering the desktop market for ten years or so. Then again, I could be wrong.

    I have seen flash memory mentioned as a possibility. Flash works by storing (or not storing) a charge on a floating polysilicon gate. The charge is stored or removed by using a high voltage to tunnel through the silicon dioxide insulator. While flash can be read about as fast as any other memory technology, writing flash typically takes a long time (from 100's of microseconds to milliseconds). Also, the tunneling action erodes the silicon dioxide and can wear out flash cells after 1,000 to 1,000,000 rewrites (depending on the process).

    So what is the next big memory technology? For now, I would say it is DDR SDRAM. However, DRAM technology will eventually fizzle out and I am sure that either SRAM (Static RAM), MRAM (if it is available), or some other new memory technology will take its place.

  3. Haiku by psm · · Score: 5

    Slashdot questions RAM
    But no links in this story
    Sites stay up today

  4. No. MRAM is about FIVE years off, not 1-2 by Sir_Winston · · Score: 5

    MRAM is probably five or possibly more years away, so it's not going to be anywhere near the "next generation" of RAM tech. Check out the front page of ArsTechnica for some linkage.

    The next generation of RAM is clearly going to be DDR-SDRAM, and will be for some time. Cheap modules will be PC-200, but PC-266 DDR will be out at the same time, with very little use of the "mere" 200MHz (effective) variety. The tech is there right now, it's just that there's no demand yet since there aren't any chipsets out (VIA to the rescue, in a few months); so, regular SDRAM is tying up production right now, but the switch to DDR will probably be fairly smooth.

    Face it, RAMBUS RDRAM is a terrible idea in the first place. When you have to make a new technology like RDRAM run at 800MHz to get similar performance to existing PC-133 SDRAM, that should be a sign that the new technology is worthless--do you really think it will be as easy to make RDRAM at 1.6GHz as it will be to make DDR SDRAM at 266MHz DDR? Hell no. I predict a quick demise for RDRAM within a few months of the release of VIA's forst DDR-SDRAM chipset.

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    "The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."--Tacitus, *The Annals*
  5. personally by fluxrad · · Score: 5

    the smart money is on the new Dodge RAM.

    with a supercab and a more powerful engine, you just can't beat the deals that most places are offering on it.


    FluX
    After 16 years, MTV has finally completed its deevolution into the shiny things network

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    "It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -David Hume