Perspectives: Moving the market to embedded memory

Memory plays a critical role in achieving an electronic system's performance, power, or cost goals. Until now, system designers have generally used stand-alone memories, which are inexpensive because manufacturers optimize them for yield and manufacture them in high volume. However, stand-alone memories don't often come in the exact configuration required and may limit system performance. Many designers are now using embedded memory, as increasingly more systems are implemented on a single chip. Such systems on a chip can lend additional capability to the end product. When designed correctly, a SoC incorporating embedded memory can offer higher speeds or lower power consumption and maintain the same or lower cost than a system designed with stand alone memory.