From PC Mag: Intel is slowly rolling out different products using its 3D XPoint non-volatile Optane memory co-developed with Micron. Performance sits somewhere in between an SSD and RAM, which is why Intel initially focused on offering the very expensive Optane Memory for use as a hybrid drive, inside NUCs, and then as small SSDs. However, Intel also wants to compliment and even replace RAM with Optane, and so we're getting Optane DC Persistent Memory.
As Anandtech reports, Intel reconfigured Optane into modules that are pin-compatible with standard DDR4 DIMMs, meaning they can just slot right into the RAM slots on a motherboard. While certainly fast enough to perform the same tasks as RAM, Optane offers an extra advantage: it's a persistent form of storage.
When your turn off a computer, the data stored in RAM is lost. Replace that RAM with Optane modules, though, and data is retained between reboots. The modules are also thought to have twice the error correction overhead of ECC RAM.
We're used to seeing DDR4 RAM sticks offered in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities. The Optane modules are expected to be 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. And of course, they are initially going to be aimed at data centers and server platforms, meaning the first processors to support them will be Intel's next generation of Xeon chips. As the video above suggests, we shouldn't expect Optane DIMMs to replace RAM completely, rather we'll see DDR4 complemented with Optane modules offering terabytes of persistent memory.
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