Intel Ark does have a search filter for CPUs supporting Optane DCPMM (Data Center Persistent Memory Module): Intel® Product Specification Advanced Search
As I understand it, an Optane DCPMM (Data Center Persistent Memory Module) needs a specific CPU, but it sounds as though it is actually sitting on the memory channels of the CPU, rather than a separate interface. Because of this, I am not sure if there needs to be custom design work to modify DDR4 traces, or if any motherboard that sockets those Optane-memory-compatible CPUs would work just as well.
This article has the most detailed explanation of how Optane memory works that I was able to find:
The first two generations of Intel Optane DCPMM or PMem 100 and PMem 200 operate at DDR4-2666 speeds with Cascade Lake and Cooper Lake.
… Once you add PMem to a server, the memory speed drops to DDR4-2666. So on Cascade Lake or the 2nd generation Intel Xeon Scalable that means we go from 6x DDR4-2933 per socket to 6x DDR4-2666. The same happens with the DDR4-3200 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable CPUs as well.
This other article also makes an interesting claim that Optane was not profitable at the listed prices (written 2019-01-21) and that it was or is being subsidised by CPU sales. Edit: On further thought, this claim seems suspicious; unless:
- Optane memory significantly predates Optane SSDs,
- or Optane memory substantially outsells pure-Optane SSDs,
- or Optane dies manufactured for memory or storage (SSD) actually differ in cost,
Optane SSDs, where a specific CPU purchase is not necessary to use the product, would undermine attempts to subsidise additional Optane costs with CPU sales.
https://thememoryguy.com/where-is-microns-quantx/
Optane Forms (for anyone skimming)
Intel sees Optane as a technology that fits somewhere between RAM and storage.
- Optane SSDs are basically Optane-as-Storage, addressable by block (probably either 512 B or 4 KiB)
- Optane Persistent Memory is Optane as quasi-RAM, each byte is individually addressable; sold as DCPMM (Data Center Persistent Memory Module)
Specifically, from Intel’s Affordably Accommodate the Next Wave of Data Demands PDF:
Intel Optane memory media can be packaged in two ways: In a DIMM form factor, as a persistent memory module that sits on the memory bus, or as an NVMe SSD storage device that sits on the PCIe bus.
