For a large proportion of computer users the ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ principle applies and this is certainly the case with Intel’s LGA 775 platform. Even though Intel are discontinuing LGA 775 there is still substantial demand for the remaining stock which is falling in price as retailers look to clear stock. This combined with the relatively high prices of DDR2 compared to DDR3 (4GB DDR2 ~£40 and 4GB DDR3 ~£20) has made a lot of people look to getting a DDR3 capable LGA 775 board.

Consequently Gigabyte have updated a popular LGA 775 board (GA-EG41MFT-US2H) that has DDR3 support, as for many customers it is cheaper to buy a new board and some DDR3 than it is to invest in some high density DDR2 modules for an existing board. Not to mention the fact DDR3 RAM brings lower power consumption and better bandwidth.

The new board features improved quality VRM in a 3+1 Phase and an updated Ethernet chip to bring improved speed and stability. In addition to that everything else remains the same :

‘The processor is wired to Intel’s G41 northbridge. Surprisingly, its graphics controller gives out an HDMI connection apart from DVI and D-Sub. It is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting up to 8 GB of memory. Expansion slots include two PCI, one each of PCI-Express 1.1 x16 and PCIe x1. The ICH7 southbridge drives four SATA 3 Gb/s ports, and an IDE connector. The gigabit ethernet controller has been updated to RTL8111E, from the 8111D found on the older revision. Other features include 8-channel HD audio, Firewire, FDC, COM, and a number of USB 2.0 ports’

So if you have a DDR2 LGA 775 board, now has never been a better time to buy an upgrade to DDR3 as prices fall on LGA 775 boards, processors and DDR3 RAM.

Source: TechPowerUp

Elpida Memory, Inc. (TOKYO: 6665), Japan’s leading global supplier of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), today announced that it has developed a 4-gigabit DDR2 Mobile RAMTM that employs state-of-the-art 30nm process. This new Mobile RAM features a low operating voltage of 1.2V, achieves a 1066Mbps high-speed data transfer rate, and uses roughly 30% less operating current compared with stacking two of Elpida’s 40nm 2-gigabit products. Through sophisticated circuit design and advanced process technology, this product achieves the world’s smallest class in chip size for a 4-gigabit LPDDR2. In addition, it is an eco-friendly DRAM equipped with a low power feature that targets mobile devices such as smart phones and tablet PCs by contributing to extended operating times of battery-powered devices.

Currently, the rapidly expanding market for smart phones and tablet PCs is striving to expand the features of its operating systems. As a result, the ideal density of DRAMs is also rapidly on the rise, and there is an increasing need for high density DRAMs – 8-gigabit for high-end smart phones and 16-gigabit for high-end tablet PCs. At the same time, there is a strong demand for smaller, thinner, and lighter DRAM packages, and attention is being focused on advanced package technologies such as Package on Package (PoP) and Multi Chip Package (MCP).

Elpida plans to ship the new DDR2 Mobile RAM as PoP, FBGA packages, and as a bare chip for MCPs. The company’s PoP and FBGA packages fully leverage die-stacking technology to provide an extensive line-up of 8-gigabit to 16-gigabit products that can meet a variety of customer needs. The new 4-gigabit DDR2 Mobile RAM achieves the thinnest package yet at 0.8mm (in the case of an 8-gigabit product consisting of two stacked 4-gigabit chips), which meets the need for DRAM that is not only higher density, but also thinner packages.

Sample shipments of the new 4-gigabit DDR2 Mobile RAM will begin in April, and mass production is scheduled to start at Elpida’s Hiroshima Plant in June of this year. Production is also planned at Rexchip Electronics Corporation in order to guarantee a stable product supply.

Elpida, a leading provider of DRAM for mobile devices, uses advanced technology to support the development of the next generation of smart phones and tablet PCs.

4-gigabit DDR2 Mobile RAM Product Features