Analyzing 4GB RAM


And 1.5V is not really an option, but a test...

However: If that works, it probably means that our voltage drop is too high but the noise is not that much of an issue.
That should be an easier fix.

But noise on the ground plane means the voltage drop between ground and +1.xV is not stable, and not reliably above 1.yV as well as causing general noise induced errors, so if it is just a matter of not maintaining the sufficient voltage drop due to the ground level bobbling up and down, then pumping up +V would fix that. The voltage drop would be too high most of the time, but not when ground is +0.15V or whatever on one particular chip for an instant.
 
I might be ok with 2GB as well, though I would think 4GB might be more preferred when taking into account things like virtual machines (like qemu) for running, for example, windows 9x games/applications, as well as emulating some post 16-bit era consoles/computers in general that can be a bit ram-hungry, and also running other programs at the same time. This is why the 4GB option was more appealing to me.
 
I would take a 2GB I would think, but one thing is on my mind regarding it. These fixes that nikolaus is working on, would these not be included? You make it sound like you already have boards on hand, yet revisions are being worked on?? Not following.
 
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Best case scenario I'll be happy with 4gb and some breathing room for future ram hungry programs.

Worst case scenario I'll still be happy with a 2gb pyra.

If it ends up taking a long time updating the board in the future the 2 extra GB will definitely give some breathing room while we wait on you working your magic on something newer or even taking a long break.
 
I think I'm fine waiting out my 4GB.

While it's too early to claim victory, it sounds like the fixes might be relatively simple once the actual cause is whittled down, especially if there winds up being room for the new capacitors or whatever.

That said, if there's plenty of people willing to downgrade to the 2 GB option, then great. They get their Pyras faster, whereas I get the Pyra I want. That stuff about higher power consumption due to the dual-rank chips, I know that will get pared down in time. Right now they really can't do much in the way of battery optimization for 4 GBs without getting the 4 GB to run stable at the settings they want, and even then it should be only a few percent higher at most, not the 15-30% higher some people have been doomsaying.
 
  • a) Ask all preorderers whether they would be okay switching to 2GB versions. If at least 400 want to do that, we can produce those with the boards we already have lying at GC while we can work on improving the design and produce 4GB later on. As a little compensation, I'd offer the new 4GB boards to everyone who agreed to get the 2GB version for production cost price. We still plan to produce a stationary motherboard - so you could use the old CPU board to power this one.

  • b) Sell the existing bare CPU boards as keychains (17 EUR each) and improve the design. This would cover the costs for the already produced CPU boards and we could deliver 4GB RAM boards to everyone.

I want to wait for the 4GB version, but I wouldn't mind paying an extra 17 EUR to cover the cost of my board (if you need new ones). I don't really want a keychain - maybe donate it to someone else?
 
I would switch to 2GB and just buy the 4GB CPU board when it becomes available as I think it is important to keep things going forward before too many people get impatient.

When the motherboard gets released I can always find some use for it ;)
Some of the development I do eats ram like popcorn so 4GB is important but not essential right now as I cured that hardware itch with a GPD Pocket recently ... really looking forward to that Pyra keyboard right now xD
 
Please just have the Pyra out. As far as I'm concerned 2Gb of RAM will do a good enough job for a few years until we can get a replacement CPU board with a more modern SoC and extra RAM.

The wifi, sound, keyboard, screen, case etc that cannot be upgraded are the most important parts to get completely right and if I understood well these are not bottlenecks to get the Pyra out.

If it turns out the 4Gb model needs to have overvolted RAM and has a sigificantly worse battery life (even for example 7h instead of 8h for the 2Gb model), I think I'd favor the 2Gb model anyway.
 
Please just have the Pyra out. As far as I'm concerned 2Gb of RAM will do a good enough job for a few years until we can get a replacement CPU board with a more modern SoC and extra RAM.

The wifi, sound, keyboard, screen, case etc that cannot be upgraded are the most important parts to get completely right and if I understood well these are not bottlenecks to get the Pyra out.
My sentiments exactly.
 
I'd definitely take 2gb now(ish) with a cpu that is still relevant for today's software rather than wait forever to get a 4gb unit with a cpu that is so out of date the additional is rather pointless.
 
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