What is the difference between DDR Ram and RDRam?

[AMCRambler]

I've been reading a lot of stuff about DDR ram and RDram and I'm wondering what is the difference? Are they the same thing? Another question I had is what is with the metal plate covering the chips on the RDram? Is that a heat sink? I miss the old days when all you had to choose from was edo or sdram, lol!

 

[doremicom]

about $20 in profit to Rambus.... oh you meant performance differences? Probably depends on what you're running for real world performance.

 

[AndyHui]

RDRAM is a completely different technology. It is very different to SDRAM or DDR RAM.

That "heatsink" thing on the RDRAM RIMM is called a heat spreader. Similar to a heatsink in concept.

DDR RAM is simply double speed SDRAM. See this.

How much detail do you want?

 

[thorin]

Just look here for starters. Then if you want/need more info let us know.

Thorin

 

[AMCRambler]

Thanks for the info guys, I think I've got a pretty good handle on it. I know some of these questions seem like it should be obvious but believe me, your answers are greatly appreciated. Sometimes the web articles on these things can be confusing and contradictory, but it seems to me whenever I ask a question in Anandtech's forums I always get the straight poop, lol! Thanks again.