(Nikkei BP Group)
(No.1 High-Tech News Site in Japanese)
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| Samsung Starts Mass Production of Rambus DRAM Chips
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January 20, 1999 (Hong Kong) -- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. of Korea
began mass producing Rambus DRAMs, a new standard memory device that
is expected to replace synchronous DRAM microchips.
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The Rambus DRAM is projected to be used as main memory in 30 percent
of new PCs sold in 1999. The worldwide Rambus DRAM market is forecast
to reach US$2.6 billion in 1999, and increase to US$13.5 billion in
2000.
This year, Rambus DRAM chips and synchronous DRAM chips will both be
used as main memory solutions. However, as of 2000, the Rambus DRAM
is expected to become the principal device for PC main memories.
Samsung Electronics is mass producing 72Mb and 144Mb Rambus DRAM microchips.
Monthly output of 72Mb and 144Mb Rambus DRAMs will be around 500,000
microchips in the first half of 1999. But as the market firms up in
the second half, the company aims to expand output to 5 million chips
a month.
Samsung Electronics said it completed development of its 72Mb Rambus
DRAM in July 1998, followed by the 144Mb Rambus DRAM in November 1998.
Also, the company said its new mass-produced devices satisfy all the
latest specifications for Rambus DRAMs.
In December, Samsung shipped 72Mb-based Rambus DRAM modules to leading
PC OEMs in the United States and Europe. It said those modules operated
flawlessly in the PC environment according to customers and Rambus Inc.
The company then decided to accelerate the initial production schedule
and increase the volume of output.
Samsung Electronics expects to complete development of the second-generation
Rambus DRAM with next-generation process technology within 1999. The
new version will be smaller and more price-competitive than the first-generation
version.
The company later plans to introduce a 288Mb Rambus DRAM, a Samsung official
said.
(Keith Chan, Asia BizTech Hong Kong Editor)
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