IBM plans to unveil a new way of putting memory on processors that it thinks will dramatically improve performance. IBM uses SOI to reduce current leakage from the transistors it builds for processors like the Power 5, and had used embedded DRAM in certain chips such as its Blue Gene processors. Processors built on IBM's 45-nm manufacturing technology will be the first products able to take advantage of the embedded DRAM. Those are expected in 2008. IBM envisions putting anywhere from 24MB to 48MB of on-chip cache memory into those processors.

IBM has a technology partnership with AMD in which the companies pool research and development resources, but AMD declined to comment on whether it was planning to use IBM's embedded DRAM technology in its own products. AMD has conducted its own research into dense cache memory technology called Z-RAM through a partnership with Innovative Silicon. Intel also has announced plans to move beyond SRAM for future cache memory technology, but it is examining a different type of technology called floating-body cells. Intel's Montecito Itanium processor already features 24MB of on-chip cache memory.