DRAM maker beefs up graphics memory portfolio

Ismini Scouras

eeProductCenter (06/25/2005 8:03 PM ET)

Seoul, Korea—Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is sampling a graphics double data rate (GDDR) 3 DRAM that can deliver 2-gigabits per second (Gbits/s) speeds for applications requiring high-quality images and fast animation in PCs, workstations, and high-end game consoles.

Generating 8-Gigabytes per second (Gbytes/s) transmission rates, the 90-nm, 512-Mbit GDDR3 device is nearly 70% faster than conventional 1.2-Gbits/s, memory devices, according to Samsung.

"Until this device came along with this density, you were hard-pressed to be able to create a 512-Mbyte graphic card. You couldn't achieve that or if you did, you wouldn't be able to run it at a high performance—now you can," said Mueez Deen, director of DRAM and Graphics, Samsung Semiconductor.

The DRAM maker has also started to mass-produce 1.6-Gbits/s, 512-Mbit GDDR3 devices that deliver 6.4-Gbytes/s transmission rates. The device is available in graphics cards with a maximum density of 1-Gbyte by combining 16 monolithic, 512-Mbit GDDR3 devices.

Both devices are packaged in a JEDEC-standard, 136-ball grid array.

Mercury Research predicts that the global graphics DRAM market will increase 43%, to $1.5 billion in 2005 and grow to more than $2 billion in 2006.

"Graphics is all about performance first," Deen said. "The device is more expensive, but higher performance than main memory."

Samsung will introduce its 1.6-Gbits/s, 512-Mbit GDDR3 device at $15.00 per chip. Pricing is subject to market fluctuations. The 2.0 has only just been developed, so it is too early for pricing, a spokesman said.

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., 1-512-672-1000, www.samsung.com

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