UltraRAM promises 1,000-year storage, but I'd settle for it actually existing in 5 years.
UK startup Quinas Technology has been teasing this "universal memory" for what feels like forever. Now they claim IQE plc has cracked the manufacturing puzzle using some gallium antimonide wizardry. TrendForce and Tom's Hardware are buying the hype, but every revolutionary memory technology promises to replace everything. Intel Optane, ReRAM, and Memristors all promised similar revolutions. Most end up replacing nothing.
The Marketing Claims vs. Reality
UltraRAM sounds incredible on paper - DRAM speeds with flash durability and millennial data retention. The 4,000x durability claim needs asterisks the size of Texas. Let's break down what Quinas actually built:
- Speed: Claims DRAM-like performance, but no benchmarks against DDR5
- Durability: 4,000x better than NAND - which NAND? Cheap TLC? Premium SLC?
- Longevity: 1,000 years without power sounds cool until you realize it's a marketing number
- Power: "Ultra-low consumption" - compared to what baseline?
UltraRAM works by exploiting quantum tunneling effects through resonant tunnel diodes. That's legit physics, but turning physics into profitable manufacturing is where most "breakthrough" memories die.
Manufacturing: The Real Challenge
Here's where shit gets real. Quinas built a fancy epitaxy process using gallium antimonide - that's not exactly mass production ready. IQE knows compound semiconductors, but growing perfect crystal layers at scale is different from making enough RAM to matter.
The big question: can this actually work at TSMC or Samsung fabs? Or does it need specialized equipment that costs billions to set up? UltraRAM claims compatibility with standard CMOS processes, but gallium antimonide isn't exactly silicon.
Why This Probably Won't Kill DRAM and NAND
Micron, SK Hynix, and Samsung Memory aren't exactly trembling. They've spent decades perfecting DRAM and NAND manufacturing. UltraRAM needs to beat them on performance AND cost per bit.
Blocks & Files points out the obvious: even if UltraRAM works, getting it into phones and laptops means convincing Apple, Google, and every other OEM to redesign their hardware. Good luck with that.
UltraRAM's success boils down to one thing: can you buy it cheaper than DDR5 and get better performance? Until Quinas publishes real benchmarks with actual pricing, this is just expensive laboratory curiosity.
The Reality Check
UltraRAM has been "almost ready" for commercialization for years. This latest announcement sounds like progress, but I've heard this song before from Intel Optane, ReRAM, and a dozen other "revolutionary" memories that mostly ended up in niche applications.
If UltraRAM actually ships, it'll probably target datacenter storage first - somewhere the premium pricing makes sense. Consumer RAM? That's years away, assuming it ever happens.
Every memory startup promises to revolutionize everything. I've seen this before - Optane, ReRAM, and a dozen others claimed they'd change the world. Most disappeared into footnotes. UltraRAM might actually work, but I'll believe it when Newegg has them in stock.