ATI announces new memory spec

ATI has announced that the specification for a new generation of fast DDR memory is complete. The spec is for GDDR-3, a third-generation double-date rate (DDR) memory that is specifically intended for use with graphics hardware that will ship in 2003.

Although DDR memory is now the standard type of system memory for PCs, it was first used widely in graphics cards, notably Nvidia's GeForce256. The DDR memory in current graphics cards is fast, at speeds up to 325MHz, but GDDR-3 will be faster and more efficient. GDDR-3 is designed to start at effective speeds of 500MHz to 800MHz. An intermediate version of DDR, DDR2, is expected to arrive sooner and range from 400MHz to 600MHz.

The plan for GDDR-3 was developed by a number of industry players, including major memory makers Micron, Infineon, and Hynix. Graphics companies other than ATI, including Nvidia, also had input in the development of the GDDR-3 plans.