Direct Rambus DRAM could be in office machines and consumer electronics as early as 2001 as prices fall.

By the end of this year, the high-speed next generation memory chip is expected to account for 16 per cent of the DRAM market, with 270 million units sold, according to a Nikkei Market Access survey.

Four companies Toshiba, NEC, Infineon Technologies and Samsung Electronics will account for 75 per cent of Rambus production in 2000. Sony's Playstation 2 will use the Rambus memory from March 2000. ®