AMD 3-D V-Cache CPU reminiscence used to create particularly speedy RAM disk

Why it matters: A RAM power is traditionally conceived as a block of volatile reminiscence "formatted" for use as a secondary garage disk power. RAM disks are extremely fast compared to HDDs or maybe SSDs, however someone was capable of move even past what the quickest strong storage generation can currently obtain at this factor.

A creative consumer became able to turn the tiny 3-d cache memory constructed by using AMD in its state-of-the-art client processors right into a secondary, albeit puny storage unit. This strange "RAM disk" turned out to be extremely speedy, but the method to create it is not sincere as it calls for a few trial-and-blunders paintings.

AMD added its 3D V-Cache technology in 2022, with a new packaging solution that stacks additional layers of cache memory on top of the CPU. The complex engineering work offers the processor with a bigger quantity of L3 cache, which is of course slower than L1 and L2 cache however nevertheless desirable enough to give Ryzen 7 CPUs a performance gain over the competition.

The ability to turn AMD's 3D V-Cache into an impossibly fast RAM power was first determined in February by using a person that goes by way of the moniker Nemez on X/Twitter. The user exploited OSFMount's ability to mount local disk photo documents and create RAM disks, making CrystalDiskMark run inside the newly created digital power with "very specific settings."

The L3 cache force created by means of Nemez on a Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU had just 96MB of storage space, but it become speedy enough to obtain study/write speeds of 182 GBps/one hundred seventy five GBps. Nemez lately made a few similarly tests, accomplishing even extra "confusing" consequences with the cache power's insanely rapid statistics throughput.

According to PassMark Software, the company that created OSFMount and different unfastened benchmark packages like OSForensics, the cache force created by means of Nemez is officially the "fastest RAM drive" to be had in software to date. As different customers on X/Twitter are now highlighting, the RAM disk advent technique would not always paintings and it could yield inconsistent outcomes.

Nemez discovered that RAM disks created with OSFMount can reap remarkable records transfer fees, however AMD's three-D V-Cache may be even quicker whilst used for its intended cause. First-generation 3-D V-Cache is ideal enough for a 2 TB/s peak throughput, AMD states, whilst facts bandwidth is even better (2.5 TB/s) on the second one-technology variation of the technology.