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RDram and DDR ram

E

eviltoon

Senior member
I'm fishing for a new computer, so you may see my name a lot. Anyway, apart from the fact that everyone seems to hate Rambus and their slimey business practices, are there performance differences between these two types of ram that I should know about? I'm seriously considering a P IV(for reasons that would take too long to go into). So, forget about price differences, forget about who actually makes the product...how does the RDram compare. Thanks
 
RDRAM provides no current advantages. You should wait for a P4 mobo that supports DDR RAM. Not to mention that Rambus is extremely expensive
 
The great benefit to RDRAM is the bandwidth. RDRAM currently offers 3.2 GB/s. That's a lot more than DDR SDRAM. One of the reasons it can offer so much more bandwidth is that it's dual channel. This explains why you have to have two RIMS to make it work. The drawback to RDRAM is that it's very expensive compared to SDRAM. You can get about twice as much DDR SDRAM for the same price. At Crucial, a 256 stick of DDR RAM will run you $61.00 compared to $128 for 256 of RDRAM.

The nForce chipset from Nvidia is also introducing dual channel DDR into the light of day. This will surpass RDRAM in bandwith with a whopping 4.2 GB/s. It will also offer better bus technology with the Hypertransport from the Northbridge to the Southbridge, have integrated MX quality video, and Dolby Digital 5.1 integrated sound. MSI, Abit, and ASUS have all said that they plan on having boards with this chip set shipping in August.
 
"Well, if you care about benchmark like many here. Rdram kills all rams in Sandra"

That's all theoretical though.
 
Although the company sucks, the technology of RDRAM is the most advanced available. Yes, DDR is also advancing but, what is so often overlooked, so is RDRAM.😉 RD will soon have the ability to once again do better than double of what the dual channel DDR can do.😉 Yes, it's pricey, and yes, the company is run by idiots, but, if there is anything you can begin to call "futureproof" in this industry, I'd have to say RDRAM is probably the closest thing to it.😉
 
If your seriously considering a P4, your best bet is to go with the pc800 rdram. First off, ddr doesn't provide nearly enough bandwidth for the p4, and anything else would cripple it. I have nothing else to say.
 
If you are going P4 right now, RDram is your only choice! so that problem is solved right there. If you can wait indefinetly, then DDR in dual config should be about as good as dual RDram. No one knows for sure yet though.
 
Dual channel ddr is the only reason I'd consider nforce in the future. Integrated MX quality video? I've already got a pro and I will be upgrading in the future won't I? 5.1 integrated dolby? Ok a little better but again I will be upgrading later. People are gonna be upset that they bought a console disguised as a comp. Its gonna look like a psx in a couple years! 🙂
 


<< Dual channel ddr is the only reason I'd consider nforce in the future. Integrated MX quality video? I've already got a pro and I will be upgrading in the future won't I? 5.1 integrated dolby? Ok a little better but again I will be upgrading later. People are gonna be upset that they bought a console disguised as a comp. Its gonna look like a psx in a couple years! 🙂 >>



You don't have to use the onboard stuff. Upgrade all you want and underneath you've still got a high quality solid mainboard. I really don't see the issue with the console thing anyways. In current games my PS2 makes my computer games (on a 1.2ghz + Radeon) feel like crap. Gamecube and XBox both look better. The only thing you can't do is upgrade them but that restriction is not on the Nforce, so your point is nullified.
 
Pentium 4? Are you an idiot or do you like throwing away money on inferior products? Get an Athlon and wait for Nvidia Nforce! Yeah and has anyone seen the benchmarks for the SIS 735 chipset? That is a much overlooked cipset!
 


<< RDRAM provides no current advantages. You should wait for a P4 mobo that supports DDR RAM. >>



Yes. That way you can have all the DISADVANTAGES that DDR will provide the P4 with. 😕



<< Pentium 4? Are you an idiot or do you like throwing away money on inferior products? >>



Why do you state that the P4 is inferior?



<< ...and wait for Nvidia Nforce >>



...wait for onboard crippled video subsystem? No thanks...
 


<< Yes. That way you can have all the DISADVANTAGES that DDR will provide the P4 with. >>



And what would those be?



<< ...wait for onboard crippled video subsystem? No thanks... >>


geez, just select &quot;disabled&quot; in the BIOS, it's not that hard. I don't think many people in here are waiting for nForce because of it's graphics capabilities.
 


<< ...wait for onboard crippled video subsystem? No thanks... >>



The nforce isn't such a big deal because of the integrated stuff it comes with, what so awesome are the advances in it's chipset architecture. If the onboard video is what you know the nforce for...check out the preview over at socketa.com or extremetech.com
 


<< And what would those be? (disadvantages of using DDR with a P4) >>



1) P4 was designed to take advantage of serial memory i.e. Rambus. The P4 needs extremely high bandwidth to stay in the performance hunt. Data path width is a secondary consideration, although the PC-1200 on the way with a 64 bit data path couldn't hurt 🙂

 
RDRAM is way better in smp server/heavy workstation uses. If your not using one of those ddram is fine.
 


<< RDRAM is way better in smp server/heavy workstation uses. If your not using one of those ddram is fine. >>

why exactly would you say this is so? To my knowledge, a server/workstation would get lots of various hits to RAM (unless we are dealing w/ a 3d workstation or something) and thus would lead to penalties for the high latency of RDRAM. Sure DDR does not have the bandwith that dual channel RDRAM has but it does have better latency and is suited well for a server environment.


<< Pentium 4? Are you an idiot or do you like throwing away money on inferior products? Get an Athlon and wait for Nvidia Nforce! >>


umm.. yea, thats a real educated answer. Anyway... this is the kind of thing that kills good threads...

fkloster- if p4 would get a dual channel DDR solution, like the nforce, then I would think it would outperform a current dual channel rdram solution... now if what you are saying is comming (64bit 1200mhz rdram) then DDR better watch out 😛.
 


<< 1) P4 was designed to take advantage of serial memory i.e. Rambus. The P4 needs extremely high bandwidth to stay in the performance hunt. Data path width is a secondary consideration, although the PC-1200 on the way with a 64 bit data path couldn't hurt >>



Dual channel DDR = 31% more bandwidth than dual channel RDRAM

I'm not sure what you mean with the data path thing, but RDRAM has 8 bit data path.I'm not sure how optimized it is for serial memory though, but my guess is it doesn't make a big difference. (unless it's designed for high latency memory...🙂) I guess we'll have to wait and see. nForce for P4 would be nice...
 


<< but RDRAM has 8 bit data path.. >>



Nope. Rdram has a 16 bit data path. PC-1200 will have 64 bit effective data path under application. I didn't know Dual channel DDR was available right now?
 
if there is anything you can begin to call &quot;futureproof&quot; in this industry, I'd have to say RDRAM is probably the closest thing to it.😉

Cheaper, open standards always crush expensive, closed standards... vhs vs. beta, ibm vs. apple, pci vs. msi (sp?) ...

What would make rdram any different?
 
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