RDRAM

The high bandwidth is the reason for this lengthy performance. RDRAM memory systems use a high-speed bus and low-swing signaling called RSL (Rambus Signaling Level) that allows an information transfer at faster speeds (up to 800 million samples/second) across each wire. This high-speed signaling is carried out with dedicated interfaces on the memory controller and the RDRAM. These interfaces are not specific to computer memory systems, but can be placed on any type of chip to speed communication. Generally, this is just another memory chip rather than a solution for the DRAM market.

Providing high bandwidth from a small number of pins means fewer bus traces to route. Simplified routing can result in fewer motherboard layers and reduced complexity of motherboard designs, reducing manufacturing costs as well. This granularity advantage allows upgrades of RDRAM-based memory systems to be tailored to different segments of the PC market. High-performance PCs have the highest capacity requirements, followed by mainstream desktops and finally value PCs. Price sensitivity is typically reversed for these three categories, with value PCs being the most cost-conscious, followed by mainstream desktops, and finally high-performance PCs. RDRAMs offer a more cost-effective alternative. Since RIMMs can have anywhere from 1 to 32 RDRAMs on them, different RIMM capacities can be created to address different market segments. Another misconception is that high RDRAM prices are due to the royalty charged by Rambus, its maker.

Only 2 bytes wide, this type of memory has a packet based protocol that reacts depending on the distance of the memory controller. RDRAM is able to transfer up to 1.6 billion bytes of information per second or 800 MHz. It is made of Random Access Memory (RAM), a RAM controller and a bus connecting RAM to a microprocessor and devices the computer uses. VRAM, or Video Random Access Memory, is its predecessor.