3D XPoint

Computer memory and data storage types
General
Volatile
RAM
Historical
Non-volatile
ROM
NVRAM
Early-stage NVRAM
Analog recording
Optical
In development
Historical
3D Cross Point 2 layer diagram
Intel Optane in M.2 card format

3D XPoint (pronounced three-D cross point) is a discontinued non-volatile memory (NVM) technology developed jointly by Intel and Micron Technology. It was announced in July 2015 and was available on the open market under the brand name Optane (Intel) from April 2017 to July 2022.[1] Bit storage is based on a change of bulk resistance, in conjunction with a stackable cross-grid data access array, using a phenomenon known as Ovonic Threshold Switch (OTS).[2][3][4][5] Initial prices are less than dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) but more than flash memory.[6]

As a non-volatile memory, 3D XPoint has a number of features that distinguish it from other currently available RAM and NVRAM. Although the first generations of 3D XPoint were not especially large or fast, 3D XPoint was used to create some of the fastest[7] SSDs available as of 2019, with small-write latency. As the memory is inherently fast, and byte-addressable, techniques such as read-modify-write and caching used to enhance traditional SSDs are not needed to obtain high performance. In addition, chipsets such as Cascade Lake are designed with inbuilt support for 3D XPoint,[citation needed] which allows it to be used as a caching or acceleration disk, and it is also fast enough to be used as non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) or persistent memory in a DIMM package.

  1. ^ "Intel Launches Optane Memory M.2 Cache SSDs for Consumer Market". AnandTech. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
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  6. ^ Evangelho, Jason (July 28, 2015). "Intel and Micron Jointly Unveil Disruptive, Game-Changing 3D XPoint Memory, 1000x Faster than NAND". Hot Hardware. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2016. Intel's Rob Crooke explained, 'You could put the cost somewhere between NAND and DRAM.'
  7. ^ "Intel Optane SSD P5800X Review". 6 April 2021.