Intel continues checking and approving of different DDR333 memory modules within the Intel DDR Validation Program. Although the company has no solutions supporting any faster memory than DDR266, they have already tested DDR333 memory modules of 13 types. The last ones validated by Intel were 256 and 512MB Transcend modules, and the complete list of all modules tested by Intel is given below:

• Dataram 256MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• Dataram 512MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• Kingston 256MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• Kingston 512MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• Micron 128MB (128Mbit, 16Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• Samsung 256MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• Samsung 512MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• Transcend 256MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• Transcend 512MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• TwinMOS 256MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• TwinMOS 512MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• Winbond 256MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5;
• Winbond 512MB (256Mbit, 32Mx8) CAS Latency - 2.5.

As you know the only Intel chipsets coming out this year, which will officially support DDR333 SDRAM will be i845PE and i845GE.

Despite of some analysts’ opinion, Intel E7505 chipset for workstations, which we all know as Granite Bay, will not support DDR333. This chipset for Pentium 4 processors with 400/533MHz bus will work only with dual-channel DDR266/DDR200 SDRAM. However, Granite Bay will nevertheless support AGP 8x and will be equipped with ICH4 South Bridge implementing USB 2.0, so E7505 will anyway be a pretty up-to-date solution. As for the memory subsystem, the bandwidth of 2 DDR266 channels makes 4.2GB/sec, which is about the same as 533MHz Quad Pumped Bus provides. This is probably exactly the reason why Intel decided to restrict itself to the implementation of DDR266 support only.

This way, the first dual-channel DDR333 chipset from Intel will be Springdale due in Q2 2003.