NV30 to be 256bit mem???

[SurfMonkey]

From the horses mouth, but which end of the horse?

NV30@xbitlabs (http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/story.html?id=1033601507)

[Kev1]

Guess will have to wait for all the details, but still interesting.

What does kindof suck is:

1) These cards will be released when we are in the middle of a big war

2) They will sit on the docks in LA for months before anyone can get to them

3) The stock market will be down another 1000 points by then, lots more people will be unemployed, and other than Enron execs, few will be able to afford the $400 dollar price tag

Still, I'm hoping to upgrade to the NV30 or maybe the R300 after all this other stuff hopefully blows over
:confused:

However, if things keep getting worse, I guess I'll see you all in hell, which I'm pretty sure looks like either Ohio or New Jersey :rolleyes:

[Kev1]

:rolleyes:

[PreservedSwine]

Originally NVIDIA wanted to adopt DDR-II look-alike memory for their NV30 based graphics cards, however, since JEDEC still has not approved the appropriate standard, the company has to go with the DDR-I memory :eek: :eek:

I assumed they would use DDRII. I wonder if that will put potential buyers off, knowing a new improved DDRII NV30 is just around the corner:confused:

[Megatron]

oooof..so 256 Bit mem, DDR-1...looks like R300 may not have too much to fear performancewise. (other than Nv30s .13 allowing it to clock higher with less heat)

[thcdru2k]

that isn't sure yet...jedec approval on a standard doesn't mean nvidia can't just go right ahead and release the card with ddr-ii

[SurfMonkey]

It's very true that nVidia can adopt whatever memory standard they like. It just means that if they back a losing horse they will have to re-design their memory interface to back the jedec standard, otherwise prices will be inflated.

It's still very interesting that the 256bit mem interface idea should crop up, if it is then the R300 has an equal partner in the war (not counting other features), but if nVidia decide to go with some form of DDRII and 256bit mem, then it's going to be a hard fight for ATi.

[Lezmaka]

This is the part I liked best
The yield of the NV30 is not going to be very high due to a very complex design and new manufacturing technology, thus, the company may launch a lower-clocked version of their most powerful and feature-rich graphics processor.

If this actually happens, and the high end version (at $400) runs at, say, 400MHz, and they run the lower end version (at $300 maybe?) at 325MHz or even 300MHz to help keep yields somewhat high, to me, that would be awesome. So maybe 75% performance for 75% of the price?

Ah, probably end up as nothing but wishful thinking though

[StealthHawk]

or perhaps even choice c, 75% of the intended performance at 100% of the price :eek:

[borntosoul]

well maybe it was this memory thing that was holding nvidia back ,having the chip designed for ddr11 and then having to settle for dr1 ,and bring out the ddr11 version next year ,just of the many things that couldve held them back

[jbirney]

It's very true that nVidia can adopt whatever memory standard they like.

See the problem here is that they dont make memory. so they have to find another partner that makes memory. This partner will also want to sell DD2 to use in mombos as that has a higher rate of volume (ie makes them more money) then showing up in one high end video card. I find it very hard to believe that the mem compaines would even consider a non-standard mem support. Too costly to have 2 types of memory parts (one to fit nV standards, one to fit Jedec). However if nV is close enough to jedec standars then its more likely to happen.....

[SurfMonkey]

But they do have very healthy links with memory manufacturers through the nForce development. I would think that they would have a pretty good clue as to which way jedec will swing. I think this also applies to ATi.

[DadGT]

This talk that nv30 can not have DDRII because the standard isn't approved made me realize something. That means R300 cann't possibly support DDRII either because it (R300) was annouced months ago.

DDRII is a technology and a standard. Both companies can have implemented the technology without a final spec coming down. They just both take risks that the final spec will force redesigns or special manufacturing cost. Don't read more into the article about DDRII for graphics spec not being finalized than should be read into it.

[StealthHawk]

Originally posted by jbirney


See the problem here is that they dont make memory. so they have to find another partner that makes memory. This partner will also want to sell DD2 to use in mombos as that has a higher rate of volume (ie makes them more money) then showing up in one high end video card. I find it very hard to believe that the mem compaines would even consider a non-standard mem support. Too costly to have 2 types of memory parts (one to fit nV standards, one to fit Jedec). However if nV is close enough to jedec standars then its more likely to happen.....

i'm going to assume you say "mombo" and mean "mobo."

with that said, ddrII is a LONG ways off from becoming mainstream with motherboards. DDR400 isn't even really being used or supported properly yet.

so my question is this. how does the JEDEC specification effect anything? as we all know, graphics cards have been using high performance memory for quite some time. i'm pretty sure the gfddr supported DDR before it was standardized. please correct me if i'm wrong here, but why can't NV30 do the same thing? it really makes no sense to me. additionally, i can only assume that DDR600 used on some graphics cards is not JEDEC approved either, although that could be somewhat different since it is only a clockspeed and not a new technology.

[Stavros]

Presently Samsung, Elpida and Infineon have started sampling their DDR-II products with their clock-speeds varying from 400 (800) to 500 (1000)MHz. Mass production is set to start in the first quarter 2003.

JEDEC may not have standardized the DDRII format yet, but it doesn't seem to stop the mem manufacturers from sampling their wares. If a company like Samsung has already started sampling DDRII their going to want to sell it to someone, whether its JEDEC approved or not, otherwise whats the point in sampling.

please note: if the above post is total BS, it's because I'm a noob, and I haven't a clue what I'm talking about. Remember the scene in American Pie I, when what's his name goes up to the foreign bird and laughs. thats me!

[jbirney]

sampling dose not mean selling. usally they will build a bunch of parts to ensure they have the process right, it meets all of the specs and passes EOL testing. If that works then they usally give away the parts as samples to other vendors to that vendor can test weather or not the new parts are ok for their use. Once everyone has agreed then it goes into full production. At least thats they way my company does it.

[StealthHawk]

can someone please answer my question?

to reiterate, it was "why does the JEDEC specification matter." i'm unsure of whether or not DDR specs had been finalized before the gfddr used the memory or not, but for sure, faster non-standardized DDR has been used with graphics cards since the beginning.

specifically i am looking for an answer from people who think this means that nvidia can't use ddrII