Micron Technology delivered the industry’s 4GB DDR-II registered dual in-line memory module to Intel Corporation. The new products may find themselves in IA32e Intel-based servers or workstations at a later date.

Micron’s 240-pin PC2-4300 DDR-II registered DIMM modules are based on the company’s 1Gb DDR-II components using a stacked FBGA technology. The Boise, Idaho-based memory firm does not elaborate on timeframes it expects 4GB memory sticks to go into mass production, but keeping in mind that the company has strong plans for DDR-II ramp, possible availability timeframe of 4GB devices for server and workstation makers seems to be mid-2004. The question is whether there will be immediate market opportunities for such products?

In the second quarter of 2004 Intel will release its Lindenhurst chipset – also known as E7710 – for dual-way server applications powered by Xeon processors code-named Nocona and eventually Jayhawk. The E7710 aka Lindenhurst core-logic will support Intel Xeon chips with 800MHz Quad Pumped Bus, dual-channel PC2700 DDR and PC2-3200 DDR-II SDRAM memory with ECC support. Besides, the E7710 will bring PCI Express x8 as well as PCI Express x4 into server solutions in addition to direct connect LAN and storage components. The bringer of innovations will cost $84 in 1000 unit quantities at launch in Q2 2004. Our sources also indicated Intel’s plans to offer a cut-down version of the E7710 – the Lindenhurst VS aka E7510 – that will be priced at $70.

Intel E7515 aka Tumwater core-logic coming in the same timeframe will add PCI Express x16 bus for graphics to features brought by E7710/E7510 as well as some other peculiarities of solutions for workstations. The product will be quoted at $100 in commercial quantities.

Generally speaking, Intel’s high-end IA32e server and workstation platforms are not generally expected to support 533MHz DDR-II memory this year. The only chipset to sport PC2-4300 RAM in 2004 is i925X “Alderwood” intended for 1P solutions that hardly require 16GB of RAM.