Rambus announced the XDR2 technology, the latest version of its high-bandwidth XDR memory interface technology that supplies up to five times more usable bandwidth to memory controllers than today's best competing memory technologies.

According to the company, the XDR2 technology will offer better pictures for games consoles as well as for high-end PCs. Rambus has already announced the XDR technology that will be used in Sony's PlayStation 3.

The XDR2 memory interfaces use the micro-threading technology. This patent-pended technology works by partitioning a traditional 8-bank CMOS DRAM core into 16 independently addressable banks. In today's memory devices, a single column access uses resources on both halves of the DRAM. An XDR2 DRAM device however, accesses only small portions of data per column access, allowing finer access granularity and increased effective bandwidth.

XDR2 DRAM devices are targeting 8.0GHz data rates, enabling a single DRAM device with 16GB/s of peak bandwidth. XDR2 memory interfaces will also use Rambus's FlexPhaseTM timing circuitry with additional adaptive timing features for a more robust signaling environment at high bandwidth. The XDR2 architecture provides the capability to scale data rates beyond 8.0GHz and will provide chip and system designers with the features they need to achieve the highest performance using the fewest number of controller pins and DRAM devices.

"XDR2 is our latest iteration of the XDR DRAM architecture and will help 3D games and graphics-intensive applications realize the high performance potential that users demand," said Laura Stark, vice president of the Platform Solutions Group at Rambus.

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, Toshiba and Elpida Memory have just started making XDR parts. This means that the new version (XDR2) should not be expected in products before 2007.