Nintendo-Silicon Graphics project will select Rambus architecture - Nintendo Ultra 64 home video game system to use Rambus high-speed memory subsystem architecture REDMOND, WASH.--Nintendo of America this week will announce that its Ultra 64 home video game system being developed with Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI) will tap the high-speed memory subsystem architecture of Rambus. SGI was described as involved in the selection of Rambus' memory subsystem for the Nintendo project and it may also be evaluating use of the Rambus technology in its workstation products.
Both NEC and Toshiba are licensees of the Rambus technology for DRAMs as well as manufacturers of SGI's MIPS microprocessors; NEC's R4200 and other MIPS processor spins are competing for a design-in for the Ultra 64 system--due out in late 1995. NEC has rolled out 16-Megabit and 18Mbit R-DRAMs supporting the Rambus memory bus and a logic interface cell (RAC) based on its 0.5-micron, 3V ASIC technology (EN, March 28); RAC logic interface could be pulled directly onto an MPU for applications such as the Ultra 64.
According to Rambus, Mountain View, Calif., incorporating R-DRAMs from NEC, Toshiba or other suppliers expected to appear in the 1995 timeframe will still fit within the $250 price point of the 3-D Ultra-64 game system.
Toshiba began sampling 4Mbit R-DRAMs last year. When announcing its R-DRAMs in March, NEC said the 16Mbit R-DRAM was priced at $150 each in sample quantities, with prices falling as the devices are ramped up.
According to Rambus, one 16-Mbit R-DRAM would be needed to implement the graphics subsystem for the Nintendo game machine while as many as four synchronous DRAMS (S-DRAMs) now also emerging on the market would be required to obtain sufficient bandwidth. Rambus said that R-DRAMs available in the late 1995 timeframe from NEC are expected to be priced about 20 percent over standard page-mode DRAMs, while Oki has indicated pricing at a 15 percent premium. Thus, the memory required for the Nintendo subsystem could range from about $40-$42.
Nintendo is the latest Rambus coup, although it is facing more competition from the likes of MoSys (see story, this page). Also, Oki and Goldstar have said they will supply DRAMs with the Rambus technology, which is said to provide 500MB/sec processor-memory transfers. In addition, LSI Logic recently said it has licensed the Rambus architecture at a customer's request.
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