Intel and Micron have revealed a “new class of non-volatile memory”, called 3D XPoint technology. This enables memory speeds as much as 1,000 times faster than NAND, meaning that it could considerably ease use of devices, applications, and services that rely on speedy access to large amounts of data.
The 3D XPoint technology has just entered production and is the first new category of memory since NAND flash was introduced in 1989. NAND is currently the most commonly used non-volatile memory, but the following video released by Intel explains how 3D XPoint technology considerably betters it.
In a statement, Rob Crooke, senior vice president and general manager of Intel’s Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group, observed: “For decades, the industry has searched for ways to reduce the lag time between the processor and data to allow much faster analysis”. He enthused: “This new class of non-volatile memory achieves this goal and brings game-changing performance to memory and storage solutions.”
With the 4.4 zettabytes of digital data made globally in 2013 expected to grow dramatically to 44 zettabytes by 2020, this new type of memory could enable crucial information to be delivered in nanoseconds. Intel has identified speedier recognition of fraud detection in financial transactions and more immersive gaming experiences among potential benefits of 3D XPoint technology.
