Microsoft embraces smaller, more efficient Xbox 360 memory

[Zeus]

Reports from TNSC, indicate new chips have been in production since the first quarter of 2006 and have just recently been integrated into new Xbox 360 systems with aim to 'reduce the soft error rate'. TNSC state the chips consume less power and therefore run cooler. The inclusion of these new chips is believed to be part of a strategy from Microsoft to reduce the widespread overheating problems of the Xbox 360.



According to TSNC, the new 90nm chips have been in production since the first quarter of 2006 and they have started implementing them on Xbox 360 systems recently.

TSNC says that the chips consume less power, and therefore it might be safe to assume, they run cooler. This news would coincide with rumors that Microsoft is trying to use smaller processes to reduce the amount of heat produced by the console, in an effort to fix and of the "red ring of death" issues.

The move signals Microsoft's shift to correct the errors stemming from overheating problems suffered by millions of Xbox 360 owners.


News Source: <a href="http://communities.canada.com/shareit/blogs/gamesnews/archive/2007/08/15/microsoft-embraces-smaller-more-efficient-memory.aspx" target="_blank">Canada.com</a>

[So-Unreal]

I have NEVER seen "nm" or "nanometer" when talking about ram and or memory. Am I wrong? Anyone know what I mean?

[retardbud]

damnit, now I'm really having a hard decision choosing between the 360 and PS3, I guess I'll just buy the 360 now, and get a PS3 in a couple of years

[uberfry]

and once again, malloc/Zeus is being a smartass by adding his own genious words.

they reduced the die size of the CPU not the RAM
way to go man

[Au{R}oN]

and once again, malloc/Zeus is being a smartass by adding his own genious words.
Stop say bullshit without any source, he just write what canada.com say.


Microsoft embraces smaller, more efficient memory
Microsoft has teamed up with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company to produce new memory chips that cut down on the amount of power used by the system and "reduces the soft error rate".

[Kenban]

I have NEVER seen "nm" or "nanometer" when talking about ram and or memory. Am I wrong? Anyone know what I mean?

Ram is produced the same way that CPU's are. The 90nm here is the same measurement that is used on CPU's. Its just the size of the structures inside the chip. Smaller structures normally means less power is required which produces less heat. It also shrinks the size of the chip which often means its cheaper to produce.

[So-Unreal]

Ram is produced the same way that CPU's are. The 90nm here is the same measurement that is used on CPU's. Its just the size of the structures inside the chip. Smaller structures normally means less power is required which produces less heat. It also shrinks the size of the chip which often means its cheaper to produce.ok but whats DDR1 DDR2 DDR3 DDR4?

[Sinar]

Always good to see the hardware updated but seriously how toasty can the 360's main memory get?
The 360 has GDDR3x512mb running at 700mhz (based on ddr2)(graphics card memory) and is now seen on graphics cards exceeding the 2ghz barrier, warm memory for sure :)

[SteveNZ]

Meanwhile, we're still waiting for 65nm CPUs in the damn things.

If they're upgrading the RAM to 90nm, wtf sort of nasty old tech were they making them with previously!? Still back up at 135nm or something!?

I really do wish MS had released the 360 6 months later and used less crappy components.

[XxBigP123xX]

that is one of the UGLIEST motherboards i've ever seen

[Kenban]

ok but whats DDR1 DDR2 DDR3 DDR4?

DDR stands for Double Data Rate. Which means unlike standard SRAM it transmits on both the rising and falling edge of the clock signal. In DDR-200 the clock speed, speed of the memory chips, and bus speed are 100Mhz while data is transmitted twice a clock cycle for 200Mhz effective speed.

DDR2 does the same thing except it doubles the BUS speed over the speed of the actual memory chips. For example in DDR2-400 the clock speed and the speed of the memory chips is actually 100Mhz, the speed of the bus is 200Mhz and since data is transmitted twice a clock cycle its effective speed is 400Mhz.

DDR3 is similar to DDR2 in that the bus is where all the differences are. In DDR3-800 the clock speed and memory chips are 100Mhz, but the speed of the bus is now 400Mhz which again transmits on both the rising and falling clock cycle so its 800Mhz effective.

The above differences are not the only changes between standards but its the easiest to point out. Note GDDR standards are not the same as DDR if I remember right GDDR3 is based on DDR2.

EDIT (again) I guess I should point out that to my knowledge there is no DDR4 standard.

[KainXS]

DDR stands for Double Data Rate. Which means unlike standard SRAM it transmits on both the rising and falling edge of the clock signal. In DDR-200 the clock speed, speed of the memory chips, and bus speed are 100Mhz while data is transmitted twice a clock cycle for 200Mhz effective speed.

DDR2 does the same thing except it doubles the BUS speed over the speed of the actual memory chips. For example in DDR2-400 the clock speed and the speed of the memory chips is actually 100Mhz, the speed of the bus is 200Mhz and since data is transmitted twice a clock cycle its effective speed is 400Mhz.

DDR3 is similar to DDR2 in that the bus is where all the differences are. In DDR3-800 the clock speed and memory chips are 100Mhz, but the speed of the bus is now 400Mhz which again transmits on both the rising and falling clock cycle so its 800Mhz effective.

The above differences are not the only changes between standards but its the easiest to point out. Note GDDR standards are not the same as DDR if I remember right GDDR3 is based on DDR2.

EDIT (again) I guess I should point out that to my knowledge there is no DDR4 standard.

to add on

gddr and ddr are different because of the voltages they work at, gddr needs higher voltages because the clock rates for gddr type memory are much higher than

ddr2 and gddr3 are kinda similar
gddr3 uses less power, runs cooler and is much faster than ddr2 and is on BGA sockets only(so is GDDR2) and is extremely expensive at the moment, the architecture is pretty much the same though

gddr4 type memory is only available on high end VGA cards at the moment, so there won't be any ddr4 desktop memory for a good while

[darandon]

Well that is a nice move by M$ for the future as for us that have already purchased a 360 a year ago i guess we r screwed... Myself i placed nice OCZ ram heatsinks on my 360 and they havent gotten hot whatsoever.. They r slightly warm after an hour of playing but nothing serious at all...

[Xenogears V]

Too late...:(

[gonepostl]

ok but whats DDR1 DDR2 DDR3 DDR4?

LOL!!!!!!!!