Elpida's Munich Design Center has been focusing on GDDR design work since May, when it began operations as a graphics DRAM development facility. Thursday's opening allows the facility to begin full-scale operation. The centre comes equipped with high-speed memory testing and analytical equipment for use in supporting product development, design and evaluation, as well as creating and expanding features of new and next-generation products.
Elpida received GDDR3/GDDR5 design assets from Qimonda AG in August of this year. Plans to begin sample shipments of evaluated GDDR3 products will come into fruition in December. The company is developing a 2-gigabit GDDR5, which will hopefully enter mass manufacturing by the second half of 2010.
Currently, Elpida has 300mm manufacturing facilities in both Japan and Taiwan.