Tech Shout!

Samsung has launched a new kind of nonvolatile memory dubbed Phase-change Random Access Memory, better known as PRAM. At present this new memory technology is under great research from Samsung, however the electronics company has finally demonstrated a working 512 megabit sample. Samsung has claimed that PRAM is slated to replace current NOR flash memory technology within the next several years.

According to Samsung, PRAM is much faster than the fastest NOR flash memory. Samsung specified that PRAM achieves its performance by changing the way it writes and reads to memory. As against current NOR flash, PRAM does not have to erase data before writing new data. This alone achieves 30 times the performance of current memory technology said Samsung. Durability and endurance are also a key development for PRAM, allowing products to last at least 10 times longer.

Samsung indicated that PRAM will be a positive forward step for consumer products as well — lowering prices thanks to new manufacturing techniques. Samsung said that PRAM cells are half the size of NOR flash memory and requires 20 percent fewer manufacturing steps to produce. PRAM will make an introduction into the market sometime in early 2008. According to the press release:

Available beginning sometime in 2008; high-density versions will be produced first, starting with 512 MB.