Korean semiconductor maker LG Semicon Co Ltd will start sampling a direct-Rambus dynamic random access memory (D-RDRAM) – the R72AE-840 – at the end of this month and intends to commence mass production in October. The 72MB chip has a maximum data transfer rate of 1.6Gb per second. According to Nikkei Microdevices, the R72AE-840 will be the main memory chip of personal computers manufactured by Compaq Computer Corp and Dell Computer Corp in 1999. The sample price of the R72AE-840 will be $45. A 64Mb memory module that can be mounted onto the D-RDRAM chip – the RM6418AE-840 – will also be available.
