Product Specifications:
Rambus memory (RDRAM®) is a memory design that utilizes a different bus structure compared to other synchronous (SDR, DDR, DDR2) memories. Rambus memory sends less information on the data bus (which is 16 or 18 bits wide as opposed to the standard 64 or 72 bits), but it sends data more frequently. It also reads data on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal, as DDR and DDR2 do. As a result, Rambus memory is able to achieve effective data transfer speeds of 800MHz and higher.
RDRAM parts have very stringent compatibility guidelines. In order to ensure compatibility for the particular system you are installing in, you should not mix memory speeds in a Rambus-based PC.
With Rambus memory, all memory slots in the motherboard must be populated. Even if all the memory is contained in a single module, the ""unused" sockets must be populated with a PCB, known as a continuity module, to complete the circuit.
A Rambus® inline memory module (RIMM) consists of a number of memory components (usually black) that are attached to a printed circuit board (usually green). The gold pins on the bottom of the RIMM provide a connection between the module and a socket on a larger printed circuit board. The pins on the front and back of a RIMM are not connected to each other.
184-pin RIMMs are used to provide Rambus dynamic access random memory (RDRAM) for desktop computers. Rambus is available in speeds of 800MHz and 1066MHz.
To use Rambus memory, your system motherboard must have RIMM slots and a RIMM-enabled chipset. An SDR, DDR, or DDR2 SDRAM DIMM will not fit into RIMM sockets, nor vice-versa. RIMMs must be installed in pairs, and all slots must be filled with either a RIMM or a C-RIMM (continuity RIMM placeholder).
The number of black components on a 184-pin RIMM can vary, but it always has 92 pins on the front and 92 pins on the back, for a total of 184-pins. RIMMs are approximately 5.25 inches long and 1.25 inches high, though the heights can vary. RIMMS have two notches within the row of pins. The notches in a 184-pin RIMM are located towards the center of the module.
Product Features: