Apacer Announces New DDR3-1600 16GB ECC RDIMM

American memory manufacturer Apacer has reportedly just launched the new DDR3-1600 16GB ECC RDIMM memory modules. These are high-density 16 GB DDR3 modules with integrated server technologies.

ECC is short for error correction code. This is a special technology added to memory modules used in very demanding systems, such as servers, and especially where the user can’t tolerate errors. Usually, memory lapses are caused by the sudden shift of one single memory cell from one state to another. ECC-enhanced memory modules have a special chip that identifies these errors and corrects them on the fly. DRAM memory chips are very resilient, they have a long life and are backed by a very long warranty period, usually lifetime.

The errors are usually caused by cosmic rays and neutrons. It was thought that they are very rare and that ECC is rarely necessary, as many laboratory studies have found. When doing larger studies, involving many server locations around the world with millions of DRAM memory chips inside, it was found that more than 8% of the memory modules are affected by errors every year. Apacer’s new module is also a Registered DIMM. That means that more modules are supported in a system with many DIMM slots. There is also a performance penalty when applying Registered technology to a module.

Being an ECC RDIMM module, Apacer’s new DDR3-1600 16GB ECC RDIMM is perfect for servers needing a high density memory, but it comes at a rather high CL11 latency. A CL11 latency can be found in Team Group’s new DDR3-3000 MHz memory kits and lower CL10 latencies are attainable with Team Group's Vulcan Series 2400 MHz modules. Having a CL11 latency at just 1600 MHz is not quite fast, but that’s how it usually is when it comes to servers. Pricing has not been made official.

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