Samsung recently announced that it has made the first prototype of a new memory technology called PRAM. PRAM is short for Phase-change Random Access Memory but Samsung is so secure in PRAM that it has given the new technology a cute nickname, Perfect RAM. That Samsung holds the technology so high is understandable when you hear about how Samsung has developed PRAM as a future substitute for flash memory. The PRAM architecture will offer similar transfer rates as RAM and at the same it can store data without a continous power supply (also known as non-volatile) just as today’s flash memory.
According to Samsung, PRAM will be up to 30 times faster than regular flash memory and the key to this is that the architecture allows data to be rewritten without first having to erase the previous information. PRAM is also extremely durable and is expected to have 10 times as long lifespan as flash memory.
“PRAM will be a highly competitive choice over NOR flash, available beginning sometime in 2008. Samsung designed the cell size of its PRAM to be only half the size of NOR flash. Moreover, it requires 20 percent fewer process steps to produce than those used in the manufacturing of NOR flash memory.”
