Talk:Memory controller

Integrated memory controller
Some CPU's have an integrated memory controller on the CPU die, this reduces the latency caused by a memory controller running at bus speed only, right?

I think the CPU's on AM2 has integrated memory controller, but Conroe dont. Having a memory controller on the CPU dies makes it have a higher TDP but reduces latency.
 * Conroe (Core 2 processors in general) don't have integrated memory controllers, but as stated, the latency is higher because of this (and integrated memory controllers don't really increase the TDP by that much, as CMOS/SiGe circuits typically don't draw power when not being used, and the memory controller can be selectively turned off when not needed). On-die memory controllers reduce latency by reducing the amount of stages necessary to access the memory, Intel paradigm being CPU-(bus latency)->North Bridge-(bus latency)->Memory-(bus latency)->North Bridge-(bus latency)->CPU; AMD paradigm being CPU-(bus latency)->Memory-(bus latency)->CPU. Then again, this is a big design contention between AMD and Intel, as most Intel engineers believe the best way to aleviate latency is larger on-chip caches (which is why you see Monticeto's 1.7 billion transistors (of which more than half are cache) and the Core 2's 4MB of L2), which alias main memory, whereas AMD engineers believe lowering the latency is the better way (which allows AMD to use a much smaller cache size). This design point is interesting now with newer CPU designs, because chips like the AMD Athlon 64 need to use the bus (HyperTransport, which is decidedly quite fast, but still latent) to keep cache coherent, whereas Intel chips can use their onboard Advanced Smart Cache (which is really one cache that is accessible by both CPU cores) and avoid the bus altogether (less latent). (in case that whole schpeal left you wondering: AMD took a page out of Intel's book by using a better bus, Intel took a page from AMD's playbook by skipping the bus altogether).70.35.227.160 15:32, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

Where can one buy a memory controller?
I have managed to destroy a memory controller on my motherboard and am trying to locate one... how does one determine what is needed and where do you buy it? 71.204.61.77 18:57, 3 March 2007 (UTC)


 * https://www.icdrex.com/atmega4809-afr-microcontroller-pinout-datasheet-and-features/ 199.230.105.54 (talk) 02:27, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

Memory Management Unit vs. Memory Controller
Is a Memory Management Unit the same thing as a Memory Controller? Or on a given motherboard can both be found? I'm wondering since there are wikipedia entries for both "Memory Controller" and "Memory Management Unit." Neither entry seems to reference the other. Firefly 15:51, 22 July 2007 (UTC)

Memory Management Unit is not the same as Memory-Controller. Baransam 00:12, 7 November 2007 (UTC) Yes.


 * What exactly is the difference? This article's lead says an MMU is a type of memory controller. The body gives a single example of an enhanced memory controller with additional security features. Memory management unit has an unannotated link to this article. The lead over there says the primary function of the MMU is virtual addressing but that the MMU does other stuff including memory protection, cache control, bus arbitration and bank switching. ~Kvng (talk) 15:00, 11 July 2022 (UTC)

Integrated memory controller vs. nothbridge
In the article is stated that having nortbridge will allow to use same cpu on newer motherboards. Yes it is possible, but will old CPU benefit from new speed? My opinion is that integrating memory management in CPU benefits more than having faster memory (do not forget that faster memory usually have higher latency). --Foxb (talk) 11:35, 12 August 2008 (UTC)

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