Samsung’s new DRAM expected to power future mobile devices and metaverse
Memory technology leader Samsung has announced that it has developed 14-nanometer (nm) based 16-gigabit (Gb) Low Power Double Data Rate 5X (LPDDR5X) DRAM, which it claimed is an industry-first, and is expected to come in handy for use in smart phones and mobile devices.
The new DRAM is also expected to help in high-speed data service applications including 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and the metaverse.
Many mobile phones currently use LPDDR5 memory. The new LPDDR5X DRAM, Samsung says, can process data at up to 8.5 Gbps, which is 1.3 times faster while consuming 20% less power than the existing memory (basically, your mobile devices’ battery won’t be drained fast).
Samsung said the 16Gb DRAM can be packaged as 64GB memory modules, which is another new development.
Apple may start using it
DRAM and its use
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is a type of semiconductor memory that is typically used for the data or program code needed by a computer processor to function. It is generally located close to a computer’s processor and enables faster access to data than storage media.
SangJoon Hwang, Senior Vice President and Head of the DRAM Design Team at Samsung Electronics, was quoted as saying in a company statement: “Our LPDDR5X will broaden the use of high-performance, low-power memory beyond smartphones and bring new capabilities to AI-based edge applications like servers and even automobiles.”
On the usage of LPDDR5X used in new devices, Samsung said it would begin collaborating with global chipset manufacturers later this year to establish a more viable framework for the expanding world of digital reality.
Industry speculation is that the successor to the Samsung Galaxy S21 may be the first device to use this new memory is. For the record, Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max chips use LPDDR5. So Apple may well also move to using LPDDR5X next year.
In 2018, Samsung delivered the industry’s first 8Gb LPDDR5 DRAM and now the company is aggressively moving beyond mobile markets with the first 16Gb LPDDR5X DRAM.
“The company will look to broaden its pacesetting mobile DRAM lineup with continuous improvements in performance and power efficiency, while also reinforcing its market leadership with greater manufacturing agility,” Samsung said.
