X-bit labs

OCZ Technology to Breakthrough DDR2 Memory Technology.

Category: Memory

by Anton Shilov

[ 10/13/2004 | 10:13 PM ]

OCZ Technology, a top maker of advanced memory modules, is planning to release a number of high-end DDR2 SDRAM memory products within the next few weeks, according to a source close to the company. The list of new modules include DDR2 SKUs with aggressive timings as well as dramatically increased clock-rate.

The company plans to enter DDR2 SDRAM PC2-4200 and PC2-5400 memory modules with 533MHz and 667MHz clock-speeds as well as CL3 2-2-12 and CL4 3-3-12 latency settings respectively sometime in late-October or mid-November. Both products appear to have analogues on the market, as earlier this month Corsair Memory announced its XMS2 Series 4300C memory modules rated to operate at 538MHz with CL3 3-3-8 latency settings, while a number of companies, including OCZ Technology, hit 667MHz DDR2 speed-bin with CL4 4-4-12 latency settings.

In about a month time or later OCZ targets to release its 733MHz and 800MHz DDR2 memory modules with CL4 4-4-12 and CL4 5-5-12 timings respectively. Both are likely to be exclusive offerings by Sunnyvale, California-based OCZ, who indicated plans to release DDR2 memory modules with 800MHz clock-speed targeting overclockers and enthusiasts back in the first half of the year.

DDR2 memory products utilize FBGA memory chips for better stability, thermal efficiency, enhanced scalability and better overclockability. Additionally, DDR2 components themselves have some micro-architectural changes from the original DDR specs, such as, Off-Chip Driver calibration (OCD), On-Die Termination (ODT) as well as larger 4-bit prefetch, additive latency, and enhanced registers. Two disadvantages DDR2 currently has are relaxed latencies compared to DDR memory which affects performance negatively as well as high pricing compared to DDR products. While the latter cannot really be tackled by memory module designers, the former issue can be compensated with rising core-clocks towards 667MHz and beyond.

OCZ Technology officials did not comment on the news-story.