AMD Starts Selling Radeon-branded DDR3 Memory Modules

[makwy2]

Meh, OCZ has already done that type of thing. I have a 2x2gb DDR3 Kit witht he AMD Stamp on it (and a sweet lookin' black heatspreader)

OCZ AMD Black Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)

 

[Assimilator]

Awesome, now anyone with a shitty AMD CPU can buy shitty memory to match! /troll

Seriously, this is an interesting move, because I can definitely see retailers peddling "AMD motherboard + CPU + RAM" combos to the average Joe, and certainly it won't hurt Hynix's marketshare.

On the other hand, the memory market is tough to establish a foothold in if you're a new player (and especially if you're just rebranding someone else's products) and I can't see the likes of OCZ, Corsair et al being particularly happy with AMD over this move, because it's going to hurt their sales.

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

Interesting given a lot of memory manufacturers are moving out of the business or spreading out into SSD's.

 

[NC37]

No heat spreader on those? Guess they aren't selling for performance.

 

[Kaleid]

Heatspreaders are not needed, as memory modules do not run hot. I bet most have those spreaders merely because it looks better.

 

[Hayder_Master]

Looks silly

 

[Wile E]

To enlarge the portfolio. It tells customers that AMD even has its own certified memory that's guaranteed to work.

Yeah, makes it seem like a more complete package/platform when all teh components are branded the same.

 

[cadaveca]

Yeah, makes it seem like a more complete package/platform when all teh components are branded the same.

You introduced the nail to the hammer.

It's not just the complete package; it's the complete package at a very price-specific mark. $40 for 4GB. $80 for 8GB. $10 a GB.

It's 1600 MHz max, because that's what the FM1 socket supports for fully populated sockets. AMD will leave, i think, the 1866 MHz stuff to companies like Corsair, G.Skill, and Mushkin, that can spend the time screening pairs individually for 1866 MHz. That's all these comapnies do, really is screen and customize memory for high performance, so they might as well leave them to it.

 

[jpierce55]

Awesome, now anyone with a shitty AMD CPU can buy shitty memory to match! /troll

Seriously, this is an interesting move, because I can definitely see retailers peddling "AMD motherboard + CPU + RAM" combos to the average Joe, and certainly it won't hurt Hynix's marketshare.

On the other hand, the memory market is tough to establish a foothold in if you're a new player (and especially if you're just rebranding someone else's products) and I can't see the likes of OCZ, Corsair et al being particularly happy with AMD over this move, because it's going to hurt their sales.

It might be tough to get a foothold, but they are aiming at a niche market. AMD users specifically, and only 3 types of ram to choose from. Some people like to combine same mfg. name on everything. This might not sell massive amounts, but I would not be surprised if it sells. If it works out it is more money in AMD's pockets to help them remain competitive.

 

[Mussels]

how many store bought machines that are 'custom built' are going to pack in AMD CPU, GPU, mobo (chipset) and RAM now? tons. all they need is a PSU...

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

for anyone interested

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=62322

$9 for 2gb of DDR3 from AMD,

so $20 for 4gigs of DDR3 not that bad a deal really then again NCIX had that deal on mushkin 8gig kit for $33 the other day...

 

[micropage7]

I have a strong feeling they're re-branded Hyundai (Hynix) chips.

yeah, thats the fast and easiest way.
but theres so many branded ram outside so if AMD aint offer something new it would be kinda hard to challege the old players just using radeon brand

 

[xBruce88x]

I bet rambus is just itching to sue. And later... Intel releases memory modules.

Seems like a good move for the oem market. I think they could at least slap some heat spreaders on the 1600mhz model. Hell if they could snag a deal with a case and psu and optical drive manufacturer amd could sell their own "radeon" branded oem computers.

 

[MN12BIRD]

Well it's good to have working profiles similar to XMP or that SLi memory back in the day. Many people don't realize they may have to set their specs in the BIOS to get the proper performance out of the RAM they buy. I know from experience selling RAM. They come in the store and get excited about buying 1,600MHz RAM over 1,333MHz RAM because it's a "faster number on the package" but then they just go home, stick it in and turn on the PC. They don't usually realize that their 1,600MHz RAM is only running at 1,333MHz. Same can be said with the timings and voltage. Probably more true with the timings and the BIOS usually defaults to CL9 for DDR3 right? Having that set itself should be mandatory if you ask me. I mean it's the 21st century here! We don't set jumpers on our motherboards to set our FSB and Multipliers anymore! We expect the BIOS to automatically detect that. RAM should be the same. Shouldn't matter if you have in AMD or Intel (or NVidia) chipset either. It should "just work" right. Plug and Play!

 

[Athlonite]

UltraPro gaming = NO
UltraSlow gaming = YES

I've no idea why AMD would bring slower than everybody elses DDR3-1600 to market perhaps the thinking was well we're already doing it with the CPU's why not some slow ass ram too

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

its not slower then everyone, Corsair or Crucial cant remember which has some super slow sticks as well in terms of timings.

 

[Mussels]

UltraPro gaming = NO
UltraSlow gaming = YES

I've no idea why AMD would bring slower than everybody elses DDR3-1600 to market perhaps the thinking was well we're already doing it with the CPU's why not some slow ass ram too

because it makes almost no difference to gaming? fast ram is a placebo effect, unless you're OCing the system.

Especially on AMD, where you need to OC the northbridge to gain any benefits of raising your ram past 1333MHz CL7

 

[FordGT90Concept]

I thought there was no memory to be made in memory.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

besides these sticks might catch on with OEM's with those timings the chips will pass the binning process easier meaning greater return on investment, it also allows amd to sell the sticks for cheap with NCIX and others offering deals its possible to get 4gigs for $20 and from what ive seen 8 gigs for $40, think about that OEMs will love that, they can advertise it put marketing spin on it and to top it off, its cheap as dirt so they make an even greater return, and the general public will eat it up

besides you might thing that theres no money to be made in Memory but what about laptop gpu's? they only account for 5% of AMD's revenue, thats rather tiny in and of itself.

 

[jpierce55]

UltraPro gaming = NO
UltraSlow gaming = YES

I've no idea why AMD would bring slower than everybody elses DDR3-1600 to market perhaps the thinking was well we're already doing it with the CPU's why not some slow ass ram too

Because this is obviously aimed at budget builders, and others with basic knowledge, likely the oem as well. This is not enthusiast ram.

 

[Athlonite]

If it's so aimed at the budget builder and OEM then why even call it something like UltraPro Gaming that name doesn't say Budget builder to me also why have stuff aimed at enterprise aswell if it's not aimed at people who know better

 

[Hotobu]

If it's so aimed at the budget builder and OEM then why even call it something like UltraPro Gaming that name doesn't say Budget builder to me also why have stuff aimed at enterprise aswell if it's not aimed at people who know better

So a company like Dell can sell "AMD optimized machines" with all AMD parts including "Ultra Pro Gaming" memory?

Also where does it list the timings for all of the types?

 

[Athlonite]

It would seem that AMD have pulled the page that showed their Radeon memory and specs

http://www.amd.com/us/products/technologies/radeon-memory/Pages/system-memory.aspx

the url above simply defualts to here http://www.amd.com/us/products/technologies even after clicking the Radeon Memory link on that page

 

[btarunr]

Added an update (statement from AMD).

 

[AsRock]

Would be more attractive if they did away with the stickers and did full size heatsinks with the AMD logo on them and not that shady little thing on them.