Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Airscanner
Is RAM really drawing that much battery? I would think the CPU is the big culprit...ARM based processors, for example, generate a ton of heat.
It sounds like there is a lot of room for some exciting innovation and improvement over the next few years.
Maybe it's time to go back to get that electrical engineering degree  |
Yes, RAM draws a lot of power because it stores memory in a leaky capacitor. Why is it leaky? Because it's cheap. You wan't RAM that isn't leaky? It's called SRAM (a completely different technology), and it's super expensive (per bit) compared to RAM.
Most of the memory innovation and improvement that can be made in the next few years is not with the devices, it's with manufacturing processes. There's already tons of RAM alternatives (FRAM, MRAM, OUM Ram, etc) using totally new and different technologies, but again: expensive. Prices are coming down as they develop better materials and processes, but most of these technologies still won't be competitive with RAM for another 5-10 years, maybe more (the date keeps getting pushed out as RAM continues to get cheaper).
I personally suggested something I called Core-dump Flash RAM a while ago, that would have all the benefits of RAM and Flash combined - but it was met with widespread skepticism. It would require a new kind of Flash memory using the standard Flash unit cell where all the periphery was replaced with super massively parralel multiplexing circuits to cache a core-dump of up to 1GB from the RAM within seconds - this allows you to instantaneously do a suspend while completely turning off the RAM. It could be done, and it's uses could transform the handheld industry, but the idea seemed to just make everyone grumpy.