eo RAM and the frame buffer. It's optimized for video streaming.

The RAM Table

Application
RAM and Access Speed
Ports Characteristics
Technology Computer Range
Location

level-1 and
RAM that is
level-2 cache
Static RAM continually charged
memory Fast One
(SRAM) More expensive than
Also used in
DRAM
RAMDAC

Burst SRAM Level-2 cache

Fast One SRAM in burst mode
(BSRAM) memory

A generic term for any

Main memory
kind of dynamic
DRAM Low-cost Slow One
(constantly recharged)
video memory
RAM

Main memory Prior to EDO DRAM,

FPM (Fast Page
Low-cost Slow One the most common
Mode) DRAM
video memory type of DRAM

Uses overlapping
reads (one can begin
EDO (Extended Main memory 5-20% faster while another is
Data Out) Low-cost than FPM One finishing)
DRAM video memory DRAM Currently, the most
common type of
DRAM

Faster than Not widely used

BEDO (Burst Main memory
EDO DRAM because not supported
Extended Data and low-cost One
4-1-1-1 at 66 by processor chipset
Out) DRAM video
MHz makers

15 ns access to
EDRAM Contains a 256-byte
Level-2 cache SRAM
(Enhanced One SRAM inside a larger
memory 35 ns access to
DRAM) DRAM
DRAM
 Preset phone
Nonvolatile
numbers and Battery-powered
RAM Fast One
profiles in RAM
(NVRAM)
modems

See specific
forms of
Synchronous Generic term for
SDRAM
DRAM Main memory One DRAMs with a
Rated in MHz
(SDRAM) synchronous interface
rather than
nanoseconds

Dual-bank
JEDEC
architecture
Synchronous
Main memory Fast One Burst mode
DRAM (JEDEC
Most common form of
SDRAM)
SDRAM

PC100 Intended to run

An Intel specification
Synchronous at 100 MHz
Main memory One designed to work with
DRAM (PC100 with 4-1-1-1
their i440BX
SDRAM) timing

Activates output on
Double Data
both the up and the
Rate
Up to 200 down part of the clock
Synchronous Main memory One
MHz cycle, doubling the
DRAM (DDR
data rate of PC100
DRAM)
SDRAM

Twice as fast as
Enhanced
SDRAM
Synchronous Fast (100 MHz
Main memory Two See Enhanced
DRAM +)
Memory Systems
(ESDRAM)
(EMS)

Open protocol-based
SyncLink design
Fastest (200
DRAM Main memory One Uses "packets" for
MHz +)
(SLDRAM) address, data, and
control signals

Direct Rambus Main memory Up to 800 One Backed by Intel and

DRAM MHz but with Rambus Inc.
(DRDRAM) a 16-bit bus
 width

Main memory
Ferroelectric Developed by
in small ? ?
RAM (FRAM) Ramtron
devices

Uses a small SRAM

to store the color
palette table used to
RAMDAC Video card Fast One
provide data for
digital-to-analog
conversion

Rambus DRAM Video memory Up to 600 Intel and Rambus Inc.

One
(RDRAM) for Nintendos MHz architecture

Has special
Synchronous Moderate to Closer to performance-
Graphics RAM high-end video VRAM than One enhancing features
(SGRAM) memory DRAM Example: Matrox
Mystique

Dual-ported, meaning
a new image can be
Twice the
VRAM (Video Higher-cost stored in RAM while
speed of Two
RAM) video memory a previous image is
DRAM
being sent to the
display

With RAMDAC, can

Less
WRAM 25% faster handle true color at
expensive Two
(Window RAM) than VRAM 1600 by 1200 pixel
video memory
resolution

Multibank Low-cost Faster One Interleaved memory

DRAM high-end video accesses between
(MDRAM) memory banks
applications Memory has multiple
32 kilobyte banks that
can be accessed
independently
Can be manufactured
to fit the amount of
memory the card
requires
No size-related
performance penalty