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Forums - Nintendo - Lets analyze the potential of the Wii U Memory

snowdog on 15 October 2012
Kynes said:
snowdog said:
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but if it's only 4 chips (we can't see underneath the motherboard) then it's definitely DDR3. What's more important is that the eDRAM is on-die for both the CPU and GPU so you're going to have a ridiculously small amount of latency. Good times ahead!


The easier way to know if it's GDDR3 or GDDR5 is to look at the memory traces. If all of them have approximately the same length, then it's gddr3. If they have very different lengths, it's GDDR5, as GDDR3 is much more sensible to different memory traces resistance, and the traces resistance depends on the trace length. GDDR5 has made the PCBs much easier to design, as you don't need as intricate paths as with GDDR3.

Looking at the traces, it seems that the memory standard is GDDR5 or DDR3, probably GDDR5.

Another point is the number of chips. AFAIK there aren't any 4 Gb GDDR5 chips, so if you want 2 GB memory you need 8 chips, so the most probable configuration is 256 bits memory channel, and 8 chips, or 128 bits memory channel with 8 chips on a pop configuration (2 chips package on package sharing the same 32 bits bus, this is a cheap solution thinking in the future 4 Gb chips, but this is inefficient in the short term)

PS: Talking with lilbroex of nintendo hardware is like talking with a zealot.

It'll be DDR3, not GDDR3 or GDDR5. GDDR3 would be way too expensive, it's pretty much dead as an option for memory these days. GDDR5, as you've already stated, would be 8 chips and, again, would be a great deal more expensive than DDR3. It'll be highly clocked DDR3 with the eDRAM preventing any bottlenecking issues imo.



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lilbroex on 15 October 2012
Kynes said:
snowdog said:
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but if it's only 4 chips (we can't see underneath the motherboard) then it's definitely DDR3. What's more important is that the eDRAM is on-die for both the CPU and GPU so you're going to have a ridiculously small amount of latency. Good times ahead!

 

PS: Talking with lilbroex of nintendo hardware is like talking with a zealot.

Been a while sense I've been insulted for asking a progressive question.
 Its nice to know that calling people zealots doesn't count as a violation of the rules as. Now i have a new word for your variety.

Seems someone is mad that I've been ignoring his troll/flame bait.



Kynes on 15 October 2012
snowdog said:
Kynes said:
snowdog said:
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but if it's only 4 chips (we can't see underneath the motherboard) then it's definitely DDR3. What's more important is that the eDRAM is on-die for both the CPU and GPU so you're going to have a ridiculously small amount of latency. Good times ahead!


The easier way to know if it's GDDR3 or GDDR5 is to look at the memory traces. If all of them have approximately the same length, then it's gddr3. If they have very different lengths, it's GDDR5, as GDDR3 is much more sensible to different memory traces resistance, and the traces resistance depends on the trace length. GDDR5 has made the PCBs much easier to design, as you don't need as intricate paths as with GDDR3.

Looking at the traces, it seems that the memory standard is GDDR5 or DDR3, probably GDDR5.

Another point is the number of chips. AFAIK there aren't any 4 Gb GDDR5 chips, so if you want 2 GB memory you need 8 chips, so the most probable configuration is 256 bits memory channel, and 8 chips, or 128 bits memory channel with 8 chips on a pop configuration (2 chips package on package sharing the same 32 bits bus, this is a cheap solution thinking in the future 4 Gb chips, but this is inefficient in the short term)

PS: Talking with lilbroex of nintendo hardware is like talking with a zealot.

It'll be DDR3, not GDDR3 or GDDR5. GDDR3 would be way too expensive, it's pretty much dead as an option for memory these days. GDDR5, as you've already stated, would be 8 chips and, again, would be a great deal more expensive than DDR3. It'll be highly clocked DDR3 with the eDRAM preventing any bottlenecking issues imo.

Yup, you are right. I forgot to consider the 4Gb DDR3 memory chips. I don't like that option, relatively low memory bandwidth, but it's cheap.

@lilbroex: A zealot is one who is characterized by fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor. In this case, the power of the WiiU.



lilbroex on 15 October 2012

@kynes

I don't really care about the power. At least not for powers sake.

I want to know how this can improve the games that we are getting.



Kynes on 15 October 2012
lilbroex said:
@kynes

I don't really care about the power. At least not for powers sake.

I want to know how this can improve the games that we are getting.


Then I just don't get why you make tons of threads about WiiUs power/graphics everyday. You give us Nintendo fans a bad reputation, behaving like the worst fans of other companies have behaved during this generation.



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lilbroex on 15 October 2012

Where are these "tons of threads" that I make "everyday"?

As I have said many time to many people, I post news as it comes. All of you are the ones who have a problem with it. If I had to guess, I would say it is some form of bitter resentment, but who knows.

If I go out and see news that says, the Wii U has a bug in touch-screen and no one else is discussing it I will post it. If i go out and find news that says the Wii U is getting an upgraded version of Gears of War and no one else is discussing it, I'll post it.

If you don't like all of the news about the Wii U's performance then take it up with the writers and the devs. I don't get why aso many people are so sore about it.

The negative responses I have been getting for posting any news that speaks "positively" of the Wii U's performance is almost insane.  Just because we are talking about the performance upgrades and praising the improvements, it doesn't mean that we have beomce performance whores.


Those zealous for the other consoles are projecting out of spite. They are insisting that Nintendo supporters are now behaving like them before they even have a chance to actually do so. Its a common defense mechanism that I often see used in political matters when the tables turn. Its done to mitigate arguments and potential backlash, but all of you are jumping the gun on it and blowing it up to be more than it is.

Simply disucssing graphics does not make one a graphics whore. Comparatively, that is as nearly as ridiculous as the trend I've seen where people who discuss racial matters are automatically labeled racist or accused of encouraging racism just for bringing such a matter up for discussion.

Now can we get please back on topic and will you desist with the passive aggressive personal attacks? This is not a war. How in the world is discussing the potential of the RAM, something that rarely gets discussed ever in detail for any console, giving Nintendo fans a bad name?



dahuman on 16 October 2012
Kynes said:
snowdog said:
Kynes said:
snowdog said:
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but if it's only 4 chips (we can't see underneath the motherboard) then it's definitely DDR3. What's more important is that the eDRAM is on-die for both the CPU and GPU so you're going to have a ridiculously small amount of latency. Good times ahead!


The easier way to know if it's GDDR3 or GDDR5 is to look at the memory traces. If all of them have approximately the same length, then it's gddr3. If they have very different lengths, it's GDDR5, as GDDR3 is much more sensible to different memory traces resistance, and the traces resistance depends on the trace length. GDDR5 has made the PCBs much easier to design, as you don't need as intricate paths as with GDDR3.

Looking at the traces, it seems that the memory standard is GDDR5 or DDR3, probably GDDR5.

Another point is the number of chips. AFAIK there aren't any 4 Gb GDDR5 chips, so if you want 2 GB memory you need 8 chips, so the most probable configuration is 256 bits memory channel, and 8 chips, or 128 bits memory channel with 8 chips on a pop configuration (2 chips package on package sharing the same 32 bits bus, this is a cheap solution thinking in the future 4 Gb chips, but this is inefficient in the short term)

PS: Talking with lilbroex of nintendo hardware is like talking with a zealot.

It'll be DDR3, not GDDR3 or GDDR5. GDDR3 would be way too expensive, it's pretty much dead as an option for memory these days. GDDR5, as you've already stated, would be 8 chips and, again, would be a great deal more expensive than DDR3. It'll be highly clocked DDR3 with the eDRAM preventing any bottlenecking issues imo.

Yup, you are right. I forgot to consider the 4Gb DDR3 memory chips. I don't like that option, relatively low memory bandwidth, but it's cheap.

@lilbroex: A zealot is one who is characterized by fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor. In this case, the power of the WiiU.

GDDR5 power requirements and heat reproduction is also something we have to take into consideration, it would make no sense to use such memory modules when DDR3 can run with low power requirements at great speeds and generate low heat.