Onboard Memory Controller
 

I figgure this is a good one for Wes, Ben, or the General ;)

Since the memory controller is onboard the chips (the amd ones that is, not
sure about xeon)..
But since the memory controller is onboard the processor itself, does that
limit the processor to only one type of memory (like ddr) or can the
motherboard makers choose to build systems that use DDR2 or "other" stuff.

Just wondering is all..
well.. more like it's going to affect a buying decision within the next few
months ;)

On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 00:45:53 +0100, "rstlne"
wrote:

I figgure this is a good one for Wes, Ben, or the General ;)

Since the memory controller is onboard the chips (the amd ones that is, not
sure about xeon)..
But since the memory controller is onboard the processor itself, does that
limit the processor to only one type of memory (like ddr) or can the
motherboard makers choose to build systems that use DDR2 or "other" stuff.

Just wondering is all..
well.. more like it's going to affect a buying decision within the next few
months ;)


Don't know about memory, but I'd green light the buy. My amd64 754
works pretty good with the first gen AK86-L motherboard, and there's
nforce3 250gb boards already out for $120. Since mine works so well
right now, I'm gonna wait and see what's the best board in six months
or so. I may even leave this one as is for the home network and get
something else in a year or two. Bottom line with gigabit lan, 64bit,
and SATA support, it'll run for a long time even if it's 200mhz slower
than the next one ;)

On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 00:45:53 +0100, "rstlne"
wrote:

Since the memory controller is onboard the chips (the amd ones that is, not
sure about xeon)..
But since the memory controller is onboard the processor itself, does that
limit the processor to only one type of memory (like ddr) or can the
motherboard makers choose to build systems that use DDR2 or "other" stuff.

The onboard memory controller only handles old-fashioned DDR RAM. To
get an Opteron to use DDR2 will mean putting new memory controller on
the die and designing a new socket to allow for the additional memory
bus lines.

In any event, one of the Opteron's key advantages at the moment is
their wonderfully low memory latency. DDR2 has a higher latency, and
as of yet the higher bandwidth doesn't compensate. Until the frequency
increases a couple more steps, using DDR2 will be slower.

I would be surprised to see a DDR2 AMD64 before next summer. Unless
one of the chipset makers produces a northbridge that has a DDR2
memory controller in it (possible, but unlikely).

--
sls