X-bit labs

OCZ Technology Tweaks Memory Latencies.

Category: Memory

by Anton Shilov

[ 03/12/2004 | 09:06 AM ]

OCZ Technology unveiled details of its custom memory tweaking techniques that allow memory to act more efficiently with relatively high latencies. The move that can potentially solve a problem of making use of memory bandwidth more effectively while sustaining cost-efficiency of DRAM chips and modules.

Enhanced Bandwidth (EB) technology is a set of means of increasing memory bandwidth through the optimization of memory latencies for the best possible interaction between the system memory and the chipset and memory controller. Through thorough analysis of memory traffic and benchmark results under various operating conditions as defined by different memory latency settings in the CMOS setup of the BIOS, OCZ has pinpointed the bottlenecks relevant for performance. Some conventional wisdom regarding some memory latencies were also found to no longer hold true. Using those findings, OCZ redesigned our memory products to be optimized for delivering the highest possible bandwidth to any computer system.

OCZ’ Enhanced Bandwidth (EB) technology challenges conventional wisdom that implicates increased CAS latency as the main factor causing reduced effective bandwidth. OCZ engineers have shown that by reducing the latency cycles associated with the precharge-to-activate delay and the RAS-to-CAS delay along with the use of the Variable Early Read Command feature of DDR, higher effective data bandwidth is possible.

“Enhanced Bandwidth technology is an exciting improvement that, at 2.5-2-3 (CL-tRP-tRCD) latencies, allows most applications to use data bandwidth that is the same as that delivered by CL2 modules,” said Dr. Michael Schuette, OCZ director of technology development.

Memory chips and modules capable of functioning at higher frequencies at CL2 usually cost substantially more compared to high-speed DRAMs with higher CAS latency.

OCZ is releasing several new products featuring the new EB memory in its Platinum series. OCZ is offering 400MHz and 433MHz unbuffered DDR memory in 256MB, 512MB and 1GB single modules. Paired EB DDR memory is also available in 512MB (2x256), 1GB (2x512), and 2GB (2x1024) kits.