Archivi Blog
JEDEC announces final DDR4 RAM specification
A couple of companies have been jumping the gun on DDR4 production, but the JEDEC Solid State Technology Association is finally bringing order to the industry by releasing its official standard for the next-gen DRAM. It calls for “higher performance, with improved reliability and reduced power” — which we roughly take to mean: less gigs for better rigs. The DDR4 per-pin data rate standard is 1.6 gigatransfers per second (GT/s) at the minimum and 3.2 GT/s at the top-end, although this cap is expected to increase in future updates (given that DDR3 also surpassed its initial target). Speeds will begin at 2133MHz, a significant jump from your average DDR3 stick, and will also operate at lower power thanks to the Pseudo Open Drain Interface. Check out the PR below if you want to delve deeper into the specs, and if even that’s not enough to sate you, head to the source link below to tackle the full documentation. Godspeed!
DICE to require 64-bit OS for some 2013 games, that Windows ME box in the den isn’t cutting it
We’re entering a world of mainstream 64-bit computing — whether we like it or not. Just weeks after Adobe started requiring 64-bit Macs for CS6, DICE’s Rendering Architect Johan Andersson has warned that some of his company’s 2013 games using the Frostbite engine will need the extra bits as a matter of course. In other words, it won’t matter if you have a quad Core i7 gaming PC of death should the software be inadequate; if you’re still running a 32-bit copy of Windows 7 come the new year, you won’t be playing. The developer points to memory as the main culprit, as going 64-bit guarantees full access to 4GB or more of RAM as well as better virtual addressing. Andersson sees it as a prime opportunity to upgrade to Windows 8, although 64-bit Vista and 7 (and presumably OS X, if and when Mac versions exist) will be dandy. Just be prepared to upgrade that Windows XP PC a lot sooner than Microsoft’s 2014 support cutoff if you’re planning to run the next Battlefield or Mirror’s Edge.
Lexar launches its first 1000x CF memory cards
You can never get enough speed when it comes to flash storage. Lexar appears to think the same way, because it’s introduced a new series of CF cards that pack a whole load of impressive numbers. Boasting 150MB per second read speeds and tested to capture streams at up to 20MB per second, it’s sounding like a portable videographer’s dream. The cards will be out in February, arriving in sizes 16GB ($170), 32GB ($300), 64GB ($530) and 128GB ($890).
Dell unveils Alienware Aurora gaming rig, will serenade you for $2,200
Dell has just taken the wraps off a brand new addition to the Alienware family, hailing it, rather poetically, as “a serenade to raw gaming power.” It’s called the Alienware Aurora, and it’s staring at you with a Cylon-like grin in the image above. Beneath its menacing veneer lurks Intel’s six-core, 3000 series Core i7CPU, an X79 Express chipset and quad-channel DDR3 memory, all of which are kept in check by Dell’s liquid cooling and active venting technologies. The gaming rig also supports both multi-display and 3D configurations, with GDDR5 memory-laced graphics cards. In case you’re not satisfied, you can always get under the hood and tinker with it yourself, without even busting out your tool belt. The Alienware Aurora is available now for prices starting at $2,200, so hit up the source link for more details.
Maingear brings Intel i7-3960X Extreme Edition chip, Epic Audio Engine to desktops, extreme gamers
SanDisk outs Extreme Pro SDXC, Mobile Ultra microSDXC, new Cruzer USB sticks
Super Talent USB 3.0 Express RC8 looks like a thumb drive, acts like an SSD
It seems too much to hope for, but Super Talent insists it has the benchmarks to prove it: a USB 3.0 stick that achieves 270MB/s reads and 240MB/s writes under optimal conditions. Unlike your average joe flash drive, the RC8 boasts a fully-fledged (albeit previous-generation) SandForce SSD controller that permits the simultaneous use of eight channels of NAND memory. In other words, this zippy little thing actually is an SSD, enclosed in an aluminum case that measures 1-inch wide, 4-inches long and 0.3-inches thick. No definitive word on pricing yet, but it was reported at Computex that a 50GB variant would go for around $110, while 25GB and 100GB capacities will also be available. Now, could someone please hurry up and build a Thunderbolt version?
iPad, iPad 2 get unofficial CF card compatibility (video)
Given the impressive knockoffs and official camera kits we’ve seen, we’d say the iPad’s definitely got the stuff to help out most shutterbugs, but up until now, uploading content from a CF card wasn’t exactly easy. Well, our friends over at MIC Gadget recently showed off an iPad / iPad 2-compatible card reader that fixes that on the cheap. Simply called the CF card reader for iPad and iPad 2, the thing slips right into the slate’s dock connector port and, as you can see from the video below, it transfers HD video and high-res images in a snap — it also sports USB connectivity. Like its predecessor, the reader’s available from MIC for $29.90, but you’ll have to wait at least a month to get your hands on one. Oh, and a word of warning, you might want to make sure the iPad supports your camera’s video format before shelling out the dough, as MIC found the slab couldn’t playback video from a Canon EOS 5D Mark II.
Samsung starts baking 30nm 4Gb LPDDR2 chips, packaging 2GB mobile RAM in April
When it comes to mobile RAM, capacity is often what pops to mind first while we overlook speed and power consumption, but Samsung’s latest delivery is worth the extra attention. Earlier this month, said Korean giant started producing 30nm 4Gb 1066Mbps LPDDR2 (or simply Mobile DDR2) chips, in order to phase out its 40nm ones that topped 2Gb at a 800Mbps transmission rate. To put it in perspective, a 40nm 1GB package consists of four 2Gb chips, whereas the new 30nm one will only need two 4Gb chips, thus reducing the package thickness by 20 percent (down to 0.8mm) and power consumption by 25 percent. It’s hard to tell when we’ll start seeing these bits of silicon entering the consumer market, but Samsung’s already stamping out 1GB modules this month, with a 2GB version to follow next month. Oh yes, we’re definitely liking the sound of 2GB RAM for mobile phones.
Lexar now shipping 128GB and 64GB SDXC cards from the future straight to your door
One of the great many announcements of CES 2011 was Lexar’s new pair of Class 10 SDXC memory cards, one sized at 64GB and the other touting a spectacular 128GB capacity. The two performance — minimum transfer speeds of 20MBps — and storage enhancers for DSLRs and camcorders have now started shipping, asking for a measly $200 and $330, respectively. Those are steep price hills to climb, to be sure, but they’re peanuts compared to the initial $400 and $700 MSRPs that Lexar was touting back in January. And hey, that Professional label adorning the new cards isn’t there accidentally either, Lexar’s offering a limited lifetime warranty with each storage cell. Full press release and locations where you can buy the new SDXC lovelies await after the break.
