AMD Chooses High-Speed DDR2 Over DDR3 for This Year

[zippyjuan]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/display/20070504112426.html

AMD’s Quad-Core Desktop Chips to Support 1066MHz Memory.
AMD Chooses High-Speed DDR2 Over DDR3 for This Year

Category: CPU

by Anton Shilov

[ 05/04/2007 | 11:25 AM ]


Advanced Micro Devices said that it may support DDR2 PC2-8500 memory standard with its forthcoming quad-core microprocessors for high-performance desktops later this year. The claim means that the company will support DDR2 memory for quite some time from now on with its quad-core chips.



“In the design of our upcoming native quad-core client processors, which we expect will be available in the second half of 2007, AMD is planning for DDR2-1066 memory support in our integrated memory controller with the expectation that it will be compatible with any future JEDEC standard that may be adopted,” said Bob Brewer, corporate vice president and general manager of AMD’s desktop division.

AMD’s quad-core microprocessors for desktops are expected to emerge after the company releases its quad-core server chips. The new central processing units, which feature monolithic, or “native” design, will be built using AMD’s 65nm Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) fabrication process. The forthcoming microprocessors will include a broad range of functionality and micro-architectural improvements, including a new ability to dynamically alter the frequency of each core on the chip to match application workloads and thereby reduce overall power consumption, large level-three cache and so on.

“Dependent upon validated platforms and JEDEC support, AMD hopes Micron’s innovative DDR2 1066MHz memory modules will provide an exemplary DRAM technology that can extend existing system designs and offer next-generation memory performance at a competitive price point,” Mr. Brewer added, commenting Micron’s release of PC2-8500 memory chips.

It was rumoured many months ago that AMD was going to support DDR3 in 2007 with its AM2+/AM3 platforms. However, AMD pushed AM3 processor form-factor into 2008, just like DDR3. As a result, the company needed something, which would be on par with Intel’s 3-series chipsets that support PC3-8500 (DDR3 1066MHz), but would not compromise stability or compatibility with standards. The new DDR2 speed-bin is a good candidate to provide sufficient bandwidth for AMD’s quad-core chips.

[Airencracken]

I still don't see how DDR3 will be that much of an improvemnt. The mhz are higher but the latency times are higher too, by a lot. It seems to me like it would end up pretty much a wash.

[InfiniteNothing]

It's mostly about price. With Vista running slow on normal amounts of memory, prices needed to go down. Just like DDR2 is cheaper and higher latency than DDR1, DDR 3 will be cheaper and higher latency.

[shocky123]

I see no need for DDR3 support with cpu's yet, its hardly manufactured in the quantities necessary to build this into a cpu. And for that matter, at least for now, the company's goal of retaking the server market is still entirely dependent on DDR2 memory, which for AMD is still relatively new.

I'm sure Intel would have a reason to support it, but seriously, DDR3 prices would be outrageous for a long time, no need to push it on it when we havent reached the limits of DDR2.

Also, I'm not exactly familiar with the DDR3 spec, but the advantage that DDR2 has over DDR1 with respect to the server market is that it provides very high bandwidth for large message sizes, as long as you are doing scientific stuff and large computations, you'll want this.. Desktop market, doesnt even need it yet... Its just cheaper at the moment that DDR1 which is why its soo popular.