A prototype of the ultra-fast storage device, GigaByte's i-RAM, was showcased at Computex Show in Taipei.

Although the development of the device has not finished yet, it will feature a SATA II interface and well as a faster DDR2 memory with a 8GB capacity. The new device will also fit into a 5.25" PC bay.

Giga-byte's iRam is a PC add-in card with DDR2 slots that's designed to be used as a PC drive. Because the iRam uses DRAM rather than a hard-disk to store information, data can be retrieved from the card up to 60 times faster than is possible with a hard drive.

Unlike DRAM-based main memory, the iRam card doesn't lose data when the PC is switched off. As long as the PC is plugged into a socket, an amount of current continues to run through some parts of the system, including the PCI slots. This provides enough power to make sure that no data is lost.

If the PC is unplugged, the iRam has an on-board battery for emergency power.

The iRam was originally designed for video and editing applications where users require fast access to very large files, but the company soon realized that the iRam had other potential applications.

According to Gigabyte, the iRAM card can be also accelerate the boot-up of their Windows-based PCs, by installing Windows on the iRam and use that as the drive to start the system more quickly.