DDR3: Gigahertz memory module on the rise

The second generation of Double-Data-Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access
Memory (DDR2) is powering the computers for more than three years now, and has
reached its life cycle. The third generation DDR (or DDR3) architecture is
considerably better than its predecessor especially in the area of power
consumption and is about to enter the market with new Gigahertz speed,
supporting larger bandwidth that harness the computing power to new heights.

According to statistical data from iSuppli, the global revenues from
third-party shipments of DRAM modules is expected to rise to $8.9 billion in
2008, up from 9.4 percent from $8.1 billion in 2007. However, most of the memory
makers suffered losses last year, wherein the total revenues of DRAM modules
declined by 33.5 percent, compared to $12.2 billion in 2006.

Supplementary reports from industry's researchers suggested that the DDR3
accounted for only one percent of the DRAM market in 2007, and expected to grow
to five percent in 2008 and 15 percent in 2009. By 2010, DDR3 is projected to
become the mainstream standard, accounting for more than half of all DRAMs sold.
The ideal early adaptations of DDR3 are for gamers who need higher performance
and speed; for notebooks users who need good power saving features for extended
hours.

A show girl holding DDR3 memory module from Apacer-Aeolus DDR3 Overclocking series that runs at speed of 2133 MH

With Intel's latest chipset and aggressive promotion, the weakness of DDR-3
is somewhat covered in terms of latency and price. Several Taiwanese DRAM makers
feel that Intel has subsidized and convinced some PC vendors to migrate to DDR-III-based
platforms. Early this year, a handful of local tier-1 motherboard makers have
introduced motherboard with new Intel P35 chipset, supports DDR-III memory
modules that are presently available in the market in small quantity.

Most of the IT hardware makers including Kingston, KingMax, A-Data, Apacer,
Transcend and other third-parties believed that the demand of DDR-III will
gradually increase in the second half of 2008, as the DRAM makers set to ramp up
their volume production capacity in the early Q3.

Few exhibitor's Double-Data-Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR)
, displayed during Comptex Taipei 2008.