Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!texsun!convex!swarren
From: swarren@convex.com (Steve Warren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: 50 MHz MC68040 capabilities?
Keywords: CPU DRAM 386
Message-ID: <100149@convex.convex.com>
Date: 21 Feb 90 19:12:02 GMT
References: <1129@mindlink.UUCP> <9691@cbmvax.commodore.com> <1013@metaphor.Metaphor.COM> <19411@grebyn.com>
Sender: news@convex.com
Organization: Convex Computer Corporation; Richardson, TX
Lines: 32

In article <19411@grebyn.com> allen@grebyn.UUCP (Allen Farrington) writes:
>In Article 238 of comp.sys.amiga.hardware:
>
>>Where are the boards with Cache?
>>We're paying big bucks for speedup boards now that could buy us
>>386's with more efficient design. Anybody care to comment?
>
>>-Dallas "Down with Wait States" Hodgson
>
>Let's be real careful when talking about cache.  Cache is expensive,
>very expensive--$600+ for 64KB.
>
>The bottom line is that any SYSTEM which does not use a cache will be
>limited to about 14MHz (70nS DRAM) memory execution.  Beware of

Well, Hitachi has come out with 1 Mbit DRAMs with a 35 ns access time
and 70 ns cycle time.  This would allow a zero-wait-state daughter-card
to be designed for the 2630 without resorting to any fancy gymnastics.
There is no RAS or CAS on these chips.  The addr bus is not multiplexed.
They have a static column mode and come in 1M X 1 & 256K X 4.

They are not commodity chips, however.  The process is Bi-CMOS.

I haven't seen prices on them yet.  My guess would be that once they
are in full production they will be reasonable, considering the
performance.  To me reasonable would be $30-$40 (the price of 100 ns
parts last year).

--
--Steve
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