AMD to Enter RAM Market with Radeon-branded DDR3
by Kristian Vättö on August 8, 2011 4:25 AM ESTAMD's website suggests that the company will be entering the RAM market soon with their own RAM modules. The modules will be branded as Radeon, just like AMD's GPUs. At first, AMD will launch three series: Entertainment, ULTRA PRO Gaming and Enterprise. All three will have the same density of 2GB and are based on the DDR3 standard, but the speeds will vary. The Entertainment series is 1333MHz and the ULTRA PRO Gaming series is 1600MHz. Timings are 9-9-9 and 11-11-11 respectively. All three series also share the voltage of 1.5V. The speeds of the Enterprise series are to be announced. Obviously, AMD claims that their memory is the most ideal for their APU and CPU systems but at least the specifications are no different from other manufacturers' RAM.
The more interesting fact is that the actual DRAM chips are also made by AMD. AMD hasn't been into the DRAM business before (or if they have, they have been very quiet about it), so this is a surprise. However, it is possible that the chips have just been rebranded and thus been manufactured by another company, but unfortunately we don't know any details at this point.
Update: Back in 2010, we did see MSI GeForce 210 with ATI DDR2, but we never found out why.
Pricing and availability are unknown, but the Entertainment series modules are already on sale in Japan (hence the pictures).
Update 2: NCIX is selling the 2GB Entertainment series modules for 9.99CAD (~$10.11) each, which actually makes them the most inexpensive 1333MHz 2GB modules in NCIX. However, this is with 10CAD rebate so the retail price might be closer to 20CAD per 2GB. NCIXUS doesn't seem to sell these yet though, hence US availability is still uncertain.
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bigboxes - Monday, August 8, 2011 - link
I was being sarcastic. Heatspreaders are pretty worthless. On the AMD memory, I agree with you totally.medys - Monday, August 8, 2011 - link
Che if they make this RAM not worse and not more expensive than competition I'll buy it, simply because I want to support AMD :)praeses - Monday, August 8, 2011 - link
NCIX was promoting them on facebook in 2GB quantities, pricing seems decent with the instant rebate but it still seems like slow ram. I'm not sure how this is supposed to promote Llano or Bulldozer with such relaxed timings, it almost seems like it may shed negative light on their other products if packaged as a whole.Kristian Vättö - Monday, August 8, 2011 - link
Thanks. I have updated the article.Lord Raiden - Monday, August 8, 2011 - link
In current AMD's situation, if this unit makes 10 million a year, heck even a single million, it should be worth it for them. Anything that brings money in is good for them. And RAM is a RAM, if it has the same specs, the same price as any other, people are going to buy it. Unless the market inds out too early they are failing at muich higher rate than the competition. Or Anand finds out the stick is slower than the rest.Roland00Address - Monday, August 8, 2011 - link
What AMD really needs to do (I do not know if this is a place they can make money in) is to make cheap notebook memory with ddr3 1600 or ddr3 1866. The notebook oems are putting single channel memory (4gb stick) and dual channel 1066 memory (2x2gb) in their llano systems. This is holding their APU back. If AMD can make cheap notebook memory (even with relaxed timings) and if they can get the OEMs to buy it, then their APU will perform better.The desktop market is already so cut throat when it comes to memory, and with those timings I doubt AMD will make money with their memory.
MrSpadge - Monday, August 8, 2011 - link
1. At the current prices of 4 GB modules I don't see much point in buying 2 GB modules, except if you have to go the very-cheap route. Even if you don't need 8 GB right now, these modules will have a longer useful life span. (remember all those 512 MB DDR1 modules? You can find them laying around anywhere now, but the 1 GB modules are still highly valuable)2. "ULTRA PRO Gaming" - what a horrible name!
3. DDR3-1600 at 11-11-11? That's a joke, isn't it? I can not see this being competitve with G-Skill or Corsair or...
gevorg - Monday, August 8, 2011 - link
All-in-one HTPC mobo? Just add APU of choice to a mobo with build-in memory, boot SSD drive, WiFi, etc.s44 - Monday, August 8, 2011 - link
Would buy CL11 1600!?Egglick - Monday, August 8, 2011 - link
I can't wait to get GPU naming schemes applied to my RAM. Now we get to have the Radeon Ultra Pro Gaming Elite Crossfire Edition Model 210 SE DDR3 memory. And of course the "SE" model is dramatically cut down from the regular Radeon Ultra Pro Gaming Elite Crossfire Edition Model 210.And maybe if it's successful enough, we'll get other manufacturers copying the naming scheme.