I found this interesting, even if now it's going to be for servers only:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20 ... dimms.html
MetaRAM quadruples DDR2 DIMM capacities
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WHy would it be for servers only? It fits in a standard DIMM slot and acts like normal DDR2 RAM so it should work in any DDR2 capable motherboard.
It will likely show up first in servers more due to it's native capacities and likely price but there is nothing keeping it out of workstations if you have the wherewithal.
It will likely show up first in servers more due to it's native capacities and likely price but there is nothing keeping it out of workstations if you have the wherewithal.
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smilingcrow
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I don’t think desktop chipsets support more than 8GB although that might be an arbitrary figure so they might be able to access more with an update.NyteOwl wrote:WHy would it be for servers only? It fits in a standard DIMM slot and acts like normal DDR2 RAM so it should work in any DDR2 capable motherboard.
They seem to be rated for 667MHz maximum which is a bottleneck and the high density might require the use of Registered RAM modules which is a drawback for desktops.
They might need a BIOS tweak at that but there are workstation boards that will support much more than 8GB. Registered shouldn't be an issue as the description of the technology seems to indicate that it uses conventional RAM chips with a custom on DIMM controller.
In any case it is going to be interesting area to keep an eye on.
In any case it is going to be interesting area to keep an eye on.
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smilingcrow
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When they say it’s for Servers only that often means for Workstations also as the chipsets are fairly similar between the two for DP systems.
A bit of an irrelevance for desktops as 8GB of DDR2 is commonly supported already and I can’t see that more than that is currently required by more than a tiny minority. Without more 64 bit desktop applications the requirement for massive amounts of RAM becomes a moot point.
I imagine that we’ll see 4GB DDR3 sticks sometime next year when DDR3 becomes mainstream. If Nehalem for desktops supports tri-channel memory then we’ll be looking at 6x4 = 24GB becoming the new norm maybe!
A bit of an irrelevance for desktops as 8GB of DDR2 is commonly supported already and I can’t see that more than that is currently required by more than a tiny minority. Without more 64 bit desktop applications the requirement for massive amounts of RAM becomes a moot point.
I imagine that we’ll see 4GB DDR3 sticks sometime next year when DDR3 becomes mainstream. If Nehalem for desktops supports tri-channel memory then we’ll be looking at 6x4 = 24GB becoming the new norm maybe!