For the first time in 25 years a new memory category has been created by Intel, and it's 1,000 times faster than NAND.

Intel says its new 3D XPoint memory has already started going into production. A leaked roadmap has revealed that the company plans to release the memory later in 2016.

On top of being faster than current NAND flash memory it's also 10 times more dense meaning enhanced storage in a smaller space.

So how can this memory be used?

Intel says the new XPoint memory tackles the lag issue of getting data from storage into the processor. Now that should be fast enough to allow the processor to work without that lag. The result could mean things like 8K gaming are just around the corner, says Intel.

On a wider view Intel says this could also help speed up medical research computation, spot fraud faster in financial transactions and accelerate genetic analysis and disease tracking.

The 3D XPoint memory is not only faster and more dense than current offerings but also has up to 1,000 times more endurance, claims Intel.

Since the memory is built in a 3D structure it can be denser while also offering faster access to sectional data storage regions. Intel says: "Memory cells are accessed and written or read by varying the amount of voltage sent to each selector. This eliminates the need for transistors, increasing capacity while reducing cost."

Now, with online gaming centres crunching more data, the advent of 8K gaming could be sooner than we think.

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