3D Xpoint memory: Faster-than-flash storage unveiled

[AtW]

"A new kind of memory technology is going into production, which is up to 1,000 times faster than the Nand flash storage used in memory cards and computers' solid state drives (SSDs).

The innovation is called 3D XPoint, and is the invention of Intel and Micron.

The two US companies predict a wide range of benefits, from speeding up scientific research to making more elaborate video games.

One expert described it as a "huge step forward".

"There are other companies who have talked about new types of memory technology, but this is about being able to manufacture the stuff - that's why they are making such a big deal out of it," says Bob O'Donnell, from the consultancy Technalysis.

If all goes to plan, the first products to feature 3D XPoint (pronounced cross-point) will go on sale next year. Its price has yet to be announced.

Intel is marketing it as the first new class of "mainstream memory" since 1989.

Rather than pitch it as a replacement for either flash storage or RAM (random access memory), the company suggests it will be used alongside them to hold certain data "closer" to a processor so that it can be accessed more quickly than before."

Source: 3D Xpoint memory: Faster-than-flash storage unveiled - BBC News

[MicrosoftBob]

Presumably Skylake won't support it and it will be another reason to hang on and ride out the technology cycle a bit longer

[AtW]

New memory type was listed for Knights Landing Xeons, it was thought to be HBM, which it still can be, but this stuff is a miracle - they would not have run press conference if they were not sure of production qualities of the stuff. Getting a new tier of memory between RAM and SSD/HDD is great, it's possible it might even allow RAMless configs (CPUs are very good at caching RAM accesses these days).

[OwlHoot]

Presumably Skylake won't support it and it will be another reason to hang on and ride out the technology cycle a bit longer

Yes we may as well wait for Cannonlake now, and at the same time be sure of a motherboard that supports USB-C or its successor.

Dammit, why do they keep releasing new architectures and standards so often? At this rate I'll be using my fifteen year old PC for ever!

[AtW]

FFS, I would have gotten more responses on mumsnet - is this IT forum or what? Breakthrough storage event and nobody is bothered

[NickFitz]

FFS, I would have gotten more responses on mumsnet - is this IT forum or what? Breakthrough storage event and nobody is bothered

I'm still waiting for bubble memory to become widely available

[unixman]

Right up until the last sentence it sounded like a revolutionary jump forward in general computer memory.

However it seems just something to be used for CPU cache. Which is fine, but nothing like as universal or exciting.

[AtW]

However it seems just something to be used for CPU cache.

No, it's not fast enough for being CPU cache (ie L1, L2), it's a new tier of random access non-volatile memory that will slow in between RAM and SSD/HDD.

[MicrosoftBob]

FFS, I would have gotten more responses on mumsnet - is this IT forum or what? Breakthrough storage event and nobody is bothered

We're hardly talking suity beaker, this is hardly mumsnet material

[OwlHoot]

... it's a new tier of random access non-volatile memory that will slow in between RAM and SSD/HDD.

Ah, I wasn't sure if it was non-volatile.

Well if they can get it compact and reliable enough, with a large enough number of write/read cycles before it conks out, then yes it is a big deal.