<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-12-007709.txt : 20120503
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-12-007709.hdr.sgml : 20120503
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20120503181814
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-12-007709
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20120501
FILED AS OF DATE:		20120503
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20120503

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RISHI SATISH
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001219137

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-22339
		FILM NUMBER:		12811304

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O RAMBUS INC.
		STREET 2:		1050 ENTERPRISE WAY, SUITE 700
		CITY:			SUNNYVALE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94089

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RAMBUS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000917273
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SEMICONDUCTORS & RELATED DEVICES [3674]
		IRS NUMBER:				943112828
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1050 ENTERPRISE WAY, SUITE 700
		CITY:			SUNNYVALE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94089
		BUSINESS PHONE:		408-462-8000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1050 ENTERPRISE WAY, SUITE 700
		CITY:			SUNNYVALE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94089
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0305</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-05-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000917273</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>RAMBUS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RMBS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001219137</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RISHI SATISH</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1050 ENTERPRISE WAY, SUITE 700</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SUNNYVALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94089</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP Finance, CFO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-05-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1456</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.2075</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>139403</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>700</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>700</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Voluntarily reporting an exempt acquisition of 1,456 shares of Rambus Common Stock acquired through the Rambus Inc. 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan on May 1, 2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares held directly by the Reporting Person as custodian for his minor child.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Trisha Chan, by power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-05-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>ex24rishi.txt
<DESCRIPTION>POA-RISHI
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned, as a Section 16 reporting person of Rambus, Inc. (the
"Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints Jae Kim, Trisha Chan and
Michael Leshkiw, each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorney-in-fact to:

1.complete and execute Forms 3, 4 and 5 and other forms and all
amendments thereto as such attorney-in-fact shall in his or her
discretion determine to be required or advisable pursuant to
Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or any
successor laws and regulations, as a consequence of the
undersigned's ownership, acquisition or disposition of
securities of the Company; and

2.do all acts necessary in order to file such forms with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange
or national association, the Company and such other person
or agency as the attorney-in-fact shall deem appropriate.

The undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents shall do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.  The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing
attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of
the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming,
any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3,
4, and 5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and
transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier
revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
Company and the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of
Attorney to be executed as of this 27th day of April, 2012.


Signature: /s/Satish Rishi
Print Name: Satish Rishi




</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
