Last week, Doc TB acted as a spokesperson for an updated version of everyone's favorite lightweight open source memory testing tool: "We have released Memtest86+ v7! 🎉 Now with live RAM settings displayed (supported on Core 1st to 14th Gen & AMD Ryzen CPUs) and preliminary ECC support (supported on some Ryzen CPUs). Give it a try at memtest.org 👍." Version 6.0 of Memtest86+, issued back in 2022, was a complete overhaul (courtesy of dev. Martin Whitaker) that revived the irregularly updated FOSS tool's fortunes. Recent media coverage has presented a more optimistic view of Memtest86+ (not to be confused with Passmark's similarly titled app)—several articles propose that a consistent release of future updates is feasible. Version 7.0's changelog documents a good number of highlighted improvements, including: "IMC polling for live RAM settings, preliminary support for ECC polling (on a selection of Ryzen CPUs), added support for MMIO UART, debugging options, plus various bug fixes & optimizations."

NVM Express, Inc. today announced the release of the NVM Express (NVMe) Computational Storage Feature, which provides a standardized, vendor-neutral framework for connecting applications to NVMe Computational Storage devices across both compute and storage services. Computational Storage includes two new command sets: Computational Programs and Subsystem Local Memory Command Sets.

"NVM Express Computational Storage is part of our efforts to help enterprises and hyperscale data centers meet the ever-evolving demands of the storage industry," said Bill Martin, NVMe Computational Storage Task Group Co-Chair and Board Member. "Computational Storage is a standardized approach that enables an open, interoperable ecosystem. By offloading compute to the device, we anticipate that these industries will experience reduced total cost of ownership and overall performance boosts."

Patriot Memory brought their latest ware to the 2024 International CES that use recent advancements in tech on both the SSD and memory fronts. On the SSD front, this year sees 14 GB/s capable PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSDs thanks to Phison's E26 Max14um controller; and a new crop of USB4 portable SSDs; while the memory front sees DDR5 speeds go far north of DDR5-6000, thanks to on-module CKDs. Patriot showed us examples of each.

First up, there's the Patriot Viper PV573 Gen 5 NVMe SSD. This thing comes in capacities of up to 4 TB, and combines a Phison E26 Max14um controller with Micron's latest B58R TLC NAND flash chips that offer 2400 MT/s per flash channel. The controller also gets some incremental thermal optimizations, which means the cooling solution for the PV573 is a 16.5 mm-tall fan-heatsink. The drive offers up to 14 GB/s sequential reads, with up to 12 GB/s sequential writes. There's also a slightly de-rated version of this drive, the Viper PV553, which has the same combination of controller and NAND flash, but with transfer speeds of up to 12.4 GB/s reads, with up to 11.8 GB/s writes.

Crucial, the client-focused brand of memory giant Micron Technology, showed off a handful new innovations at its booth along the sidelines of the 2024 International CES. First up, is a prototype USB4 portable SSD and prototype desktop SSD. These are proofs of concept, and not actual products. With this, Crucial is testing the waters with USB4 and its delicious 40 Gbps bidirectional bandwidth, which unlocks a new generation of fast removable storage devices. The prototype USB4 portable SSD comes in a tiny chassis about the size of a burner phone. It is a PCB with an M.2-2280 slot with PCIe Gen 4 x4 wiring, connected to an ASMedia ASM2464PD USB4 bridge chip. An OEM Micron Gen 4 SSD with 232-layer 3D TLC NAND flash and LPDDR4 DRAM cache, is installed on this drive. The CDM reading for this drive is 3821 MB/s sequential reads, with 885 MB/s sequential writes.

Next up, is a larger desktop SSD prototype (which again, isn't an actual product but a proof of concept). Its metal chassis is about the size of a 3.5-inch HDD. Inside is at least one M.2-2280 Gen 4 slot (there are probably more); with a preinstalled drive. An ASMedia ASM2464PD handles things here, too. The performance is mostly similar, at 3792 MB/s sequential reads, but with significantly increase 3803 MB/s sequential writes. This may seem unspectacular because Thunderbolt 4 has been delivering 40 Gbps for many years now, and we've had TB4-based external SSDs; but USB4 somewhat democratizes this kind of bandwidth.

TrendForce reports that the DRAM contract prices are estimated to increase by approximately 13-18% in 1Q24 with mobile DRAM leading the surge. It appears that due to the unclear demand outlook for the entire year of 2024, manufacturers believe that sustained production cuts are necessary to maintain the supply-demand balance in the memory industry.

PC DRAM: The market is buzzing with unfilled DDR5 orders, while savvy buyers brace for a continued surge in DDR4 prices, keeping procurement engines running. This trend, however, is shadowed by a gradual industry pivot toward DDR5, casting uncertainty over the expansion of DDR4 bit procurement volumes. Despite this, both DDR4 and DDR5 prices have yet to hit the target set by manufacturers, and buyers seem ready to ride the wave of price hikes into 1Q24. This sets the stage for an estimated 10-15% in PC DRAM contract prices, with DDR5 poised to take the lead over DDR4 in this pricing rally.

V-COLOR Technology Inc. is proud to unveil the Manta XFinity Series, our newest product tailored for PC enthusiasts and end users in pursuit of high performance. Engineered for extreme speeds and dependability, this series places a strong emphasis on facilitating high overclocking with straightforward compatibility and enhanced heat dissipation. The module has been tested on systems utilizing 14th generation CPUs, including the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS TACHYON X and ROG MAXIMUS Z790 APEX Motherboards. The XFinity Series has undergone extensive testing on motherboards from reliable manufacturers to guarantee smooth integration with a range of systems in configuration.

SK hynix Inc. announced today that it will showcase the technology for ultra-high performance memory products, the core of future AI infrastructure, at CES 2024, the most influential tech event in the world taking place from January 9 through 12 in Las Vegas. SK hynix said that it will highlight its future vision represented by its Memory Centric at the show and promote the importance of memory products accelerating the technological innovation in the AI era and its competitiveness in the global memory markets.

The company will run a space titled SK Wonderland jointly with other major SK Group affiliates including SK Inc., SK Innovation and SK Telecom, and showcase its major AI memory products including HBM3E. SK hynix plans to provide HBM3E, the world's best-performing memory product that it successfully developed in August, to the world's largest AI technology companies by starting mass production from the first half of 2024.

Rambus Inc., a premier chip and silicon IP provider making data faster and safer, today announced the availability of its state-of-the-art Gen 4 DDR5 Registering Clock Driver (RCD) which began sampling to the major DDR5 memory module (RDIMM) manufacturers in the fourth quarter of 2023. The Rambus Gen 4 RCD boosts the data rate to 7200 MT/s, setting a new benchmark for performance and enabling a 50% increase in memory bandwidth over today's 4800 MT/s DDR5 module solutions. It supports the rapid pace of server main memory performance improvements to meet the demands of generative AI and other advanced data center workloads.

"With memory being an essential enabler of server performance, the need for greater memory bandwidth continues its meteoric rise driven by demanding workloads like generative AI," said Sean Fan, chief operating officer at Rambus. "The Rambus Gen 4 DDR5 RCD is the latest demonstration of our commitment to providing leadership products ahead of the market need to support our customers' current and planned server platforms."

Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) today announced results for its first quarter of fiscal 2024, which ended November 30, 2023.

Fiscal Q1 2024 highlights

• Revenue of $4.73 billion versus $4.01 billion for the prior quarter and $4.09 billion for the same period last year
• GAAP net loss of $1.23 billion, or $1.12 per diluted share
• Non-GAAP net loss of $1.05 billion, or $0.95 per diluted share
• Operating cash flow of $1.40 billion versus $249 million for the prior quarter and $943 million for the same period last year

"Micron's strong execution and pricing drove better-than-anticipated first quarter financial results," said Micron Technology President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra. "We expect our business fundamentals to improve throughout 2024, with record industry TAM projected for calendar 2025. Our industry-leading High Bandwidth Memory for data center AI applications illustrates the strength of our technology and product roadmaps, and we are well positioned to capitalize on the immense opportunities artificial intelligence is fueling across end markets."

Apple has been experimenting with Large Language Models (LLMs) that power most of today's AI applications. The company wants these LLMs to serve the users best and deliver them efficiently, which is a difficult task as they require a lot of resources, including compute and memory. Traditionally, LLMs have required AI accelerators in combination with large DRAM capacity to store model weights. However, Apple has published a paper that aims to bring LLMs to devices with limited memory capacity. By storing LLMs on NAND flash memory (regular storage), the method involves constructing an inference cost model that harmonizes with the flash memory behavior, guiding optimization in two critical areas: reducing the volume of data transferred from flash and reading data in larger, more contiguous chunks. Instead of storing the model weights on DRAM, Apple wants to utilize flash memory to store weights and only pull them on-demand to DRAM once it is needed.

Two principal techniques are introduced within this flash memory-informed framework: "windowing" and "row-column bundling." These methods collectively enable running models up to twice the size of the available DRAM, with a 4-5x and 20-25x increase in inference speed compared to native loading approaches on CPU and GPU, respectively. Integrating sparsity awareness, context-adaptive loading, and a hardware-oriented design pave the way for practical inference of LLMs on devices with limited memory, such as SoCs with 8/16/32 GB of available DRAM. Especially with DRAM prices outweighing NAND Flash, setups such as smartphone configurations could easily store and inference LLMs with multi-billion parameters, even if the DRAM available isn't sufficient. For a more technical deep dive, read the paper on arXiv here.

Chinese company Sipeed has introduced the Lichee Pocket 4A, one of the first handheld gaming devices based on the RISC-V open-source instruction set architecture (ISA). Sipeed positions the device as a retro gaming platform capable of running simple titles via software rendering or GPU acceleration. At its core is Alibaba's T-Head TH1520 processor featuring four 2.50 GHz Xuantie C910 RISC-V general-purpose CPU cores and an unnamed Imagination GPU. The chip was originally aimed at laptop designs. Memory options include 8 GB or 16 GB LPDDR4X RAM and 32 GB or 128 GB of storage. The Lichee Pocket 4A has a 7-inch 1280x800 LCD touchscreen, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity, and an array of wired ports like USB and Ethernet. It weighs under 500 grams. The device can run Android or Linux distributions like Debian, Ubuntu, and others.

As an early RISC-V gaming entrant, performance expectations should be modest—the focus is retro gaming and small indie titles, not modern AAA games. Specific gaming capabilities remain to be fully tested. However, the release helps showcase RISC-V's potential for consumer electronics and competitive positioning against proprietary ISAs like ARM. Pricing is still undefined, but another Sipeed handheld console retails for around $250 currently. Reception from enthusiasts and developers will demonstrate whether there's a viable market for RISC-V gaming devices. Success could encourage additional hardware experimentation efforts across emerging open architectures. With a 6000 mAh battery, battery life should be decent. Other specifications can be seen in the table below, and the pre-order link is here.

TrendForce predicts a significant rise in mobile DRAM and NAND Flash (eMMC/UFS) prices for the first quarter of 2024, with an expected seasonal increase of 18-23%. This surge could be further amplified in a market dominated by a few major players or if brand clients resort to panic buying under pressure.

Observations for 1Q24 indicate steady production planning by Chinese smartphone OEMs. A clear rise in memory prices is driving buyers to actively increase their purchasing efforts as they aim to establish secure and competitively priced inventory levels.

KLEVV, the premier consumer memory and storage brand introduced by Essencore, today is excited to unveil the all-new CRAS V RGB Brilliant White edition memory kit available in extreme high speed of DDR5-8200 & DDR5-8400 configurations. As a testament to the immense popularity and growing demand for the CRAS V RGB memory kits, KLEVV has responded by introducing the long-awaited Brilliant White edition to its flagship memory lineup as well as two high-speed options for consumers. This new addition boasts striking aesthetics by keeping the tone-on-tone design, and upholds the exceptional performance standards synonymous with the CRAS V RGB series, solidifying its position as the preferred choice among enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Meticulously engineered for high-speed operation, KLEVV's CRAS V RGB memory kits deliver outstanding performance with remarkable speed options of DDR5-8200 (featuring timings of 38-49-49-131) and DDR5-8400 (with timings of 40-52-52-134), all while operating efficiently at a voltage of 1.45 V. Below screenshot demonstrates the test result of DDR5-8400 kit using AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark tool.

Patriot Memory, a leading manufacturer of high-performance enthusiast memory modules, SSDs, flash storage and gaming peripherals, has announced the upcoming release of Viper Gaming's first-ever collaboration with ASUS' gaming division, TUF Gaming: The Viper Elite 5 TUF Gaming Alliance RGB DDR5 series.

As a bold new take on the recently released Viper Elite 5 performance memory series, the Viper Elite 5 TUF Gaming Alliance RGB DDR5 series is certified by ASUS' TUF Gaming Alliance and features high-performance transfer speeds of up to 6,600MT/s, capacities of up to 48 GB and tuned overclock support for XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO on select models. The Viper Elite 5 TUF Gaming Alliance RGB DDR5 series offers the latest in top-tier performance for gamers, tech enthusiasts and creatives alike. The Viper Elite 5 TUF Gaming Alliance RGB DDR5 series also features unique branding and design combining Viper Gaming and TUF Gaming alongside the Viper Elite 5's one-of-a-kind matte white heatshield with an RGB lightbar.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of JESD318: Compression Attached Memory Module (CAMM2) Common Standard. This groundbreaking standard defines the electrical and mechanical requirements for both Double Data Rate, Synchronous DRAM Compression-Attached Memory Modules (DDR5 SDRAM CAMM2s) and Low Power Double Data Rate, Synchronous DRAM Compression-Attached Memory Modules (LPDDR5/5X SDRAM CAMM2s) in a single, comprehensive document. JESD318 CAMM2 is available for download from the JEDEC website.

DDR5 and LPDDR5/5X CAMM2s cater to distinct use cases. DDR5 CAMM2s are intended for performance notebooks and mainstream desktops, while LPDDR5/5X CAMM2s target a broader range of notebooks and certain server market segments.

SK hynix presented its leading AI and high-performance computing (HPC) solutions at Supercomputing 2023 (SC23) held in Denver, Colorado between November 12-17. Organized by the Association for Computing Machinery and IEEE Computer Society since 1988, the annual SC conference showcases the latest advancements in HPC, networking, storage, and data analysis. SK hynix marked its first appearance at the conference by introducing its groundbreaking memory solutions to the HPC community. During the six-day event, several SK hynix employees also made presentations revealing the impact of the company's memory solutions on AI and HPC.

Displaying Advanced HPC & AI Products
At SC23, SK hynix showcased its products tailored for AI and HPC to underline its leadership in the AI memory field. Among these next-generation products, HBM3E attracted attention as the HBM solution meets the industry's highest standards of speed, capacity, heat dissipation, and power efficiency. These capabilities make it particularly suitable for data-intensive AI server systems. HBM3E was presented alongside NVIDIA's H100, a high-performance GPU for AI that uses HBM3 for its memory.

V-COLOR Technology Inc. is proud to announce the launch of a new TUF Gaming Alliance Memory, available in both DDR5 XPrism and DDR4 Prism Pro series, showcasing a striking design and exceptional performance. This collaboration with the ASUS TUF Gaming Alliance ensures that components bearing this badge undergo testing that surpasses the industry's standard norms. This rigorous testing is implemented to ensure superior compatibility, stability, and durability, catering to the specific needs of gamers and PC enthusiasts globally.

The new memory kits are offered in configurations of 32 GB (2x 16 GB) with speeds ranging from 5600 MHz to 6400 MHz for DDR5, and 16 GB (2x 8 GB) to 32 GB (2x 16 GB) with speeds ranging from 3200 MHz to 3600 MHz for DDR4 memory. The memory modules are equipped with powerful SK Hynix chips. DDR5 memory is compatible with Intel XMP, and DDR4 is compatible with both INTEL and AMD platforms.

In support of World Environment Day, Team Group released the C175 ECO Net-Zero Flash Drive previously, which received positive reception from consumers worldwide. To encourage action against environmental pollution, Team Group has continued to devote itself to the development and design of environmentally friendly products. Now Team Group is launching the industry's first memory module with a recycled aluminium heat sink: the T-FORCE VULCAN ECO DDR5 Desktop Overclocking Memory.

Team Group takes social responsibility seriously, promoting sustainability through green research and development. For every 10,000 recycled aluminium T-FORCE VULCAN ECO DDR5 heat sinks made, carbon emissions are reduced by 73% or about 1,665 kg of carbon emissions. That is equivalent to the carbon footprint of 550,000 hand towels, 310,000 plastic straws, 30,000 plastic bags, and 10,000 PET bottles. The T-FORCE VULCAN ECO DDR5 also uses FSC-certified eco-packaging for the entire product, further contributing to the reduction of material and electronic waste.

Thermaltake, the leading PC DIY premium brand for Case, Power, Cooling, Gaming Peripherals, and Enthusiast Memory solutions, is excited to launch the TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 Memory DDR5 7600/8000 MT/s 32 GB (16 GB x2) available in black and white. The TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 is a high-performance DDR5 RAM module that features a unique X-shaped light bar with 16 LEDs. To satisfy different speed demands, the TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 series provides frequency options starting from 5600MT/s, and now has new higher frequency additions of up to 8000MT/s and can support the latest Intel 14th Gen.

The TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 7600/8000 MT/s are made with superior components to achieve uncompromised speed. Built with tightly-screened ICs and a 10-layer PCB with 2oz copper inner layer, The TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 can deliver outstanding response time performance and overclocking performance. The high-quality 10μ gold fingers on the ram provide high wear resistance to reinforce durability. Additionally, the TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 Memory DDR5 is equipped with a doubled bank group architecture, increasing capacity without lag. To reach long-term stability, the DDR5 memory features a native Power Management IC (PMIC) to optimize power efficiency with merely 1.1 V low operating voltage. The TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 7600/8000 MT/s include the on-die error correction code (ECC) can strengthen stability and reliability through its auto error correction.

SK hynix Inc. announced today that it has started supplying its customers with 16 gigabyte (GB) packages of Low Power Double Data Rate 5 Turbo (LPDDR5T), the fastest mobile DRAM available today that can transfer 9.6 gigabits per second (Gbps). Since the successful development of its LPDDR5T in January, SK hynix has been preparing to commercialize the product by conducting performance verification with global mobile application processor (AP) manufacturers.

SK hynix explained that LPDDR5T is the optimal memory to maximize the performance of smartphones, with the highest speed ever achieved. The company also emphasized that it would continue to expand the application range of this product and lead the generation shift in the mobile DRAM sector. The LPDDR5T 16 GB package operates in the ultra-low voltage range of 1.01 to 1.12 V set by the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC), and can process 77 GB of data per second, which is equivalent to transferring 15 full high-definition (FHD) movies in one second.

Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC), China's biggest NAND flash memory manufacturer, has successfully raised billions of US Dollars in new capital to adapt to challenging US restrictions. According to the report from Financial Times, YMTC, which was added to a trade blacklist in December and barred from procuring US equipment to manufacture chips, exceeded its funding target. However, the exact amount remains undisclosed. The capital increase became necessary due to YMTC's substantial spending on finding alternative equipment and developing new components and core chipmaking tools. This financing round was oversubscribed by domestic investors, reflecting support for YMTC amid tightening US restrictions.

Last year, YMTC managed to raise 50 billion Chinese Yuan or about 7 billion US Dollars for equipment. Spending it all on the supply chain, the company is now looking to bolster its offerings with additional equipment for its memory facilities. One of the investors in the funding rally for YMTC has made a statement for Finanical Times: "If Chinese companies have equipment that can be used, [YMTC] will use it. If not, it will see if countries other than the US can sell to it. If that doesn't work, YMTC will develop it together with the supplier." This statement indicates that the company is looking into several options, where one is simply developing its custom machinery with the suppliers.

KLEVV, an emerging memory brand introduced by Essencore, is excited to unveil brand new additions to its high-capacity non-binary DDR5 overclocking memory range, meticulously designed to meet the demanding needs of gamers, content creators, and PC enthusiasts across the globe. KLEVV's DDR5 memory lineup now boasts novel non-binary and high-capacity combinations aimed at bringing users a diverse, cutting-edge product range.

Globally popular CRAS V RGB, CRAS XR5 RGB, and BOLT V DDR5 gaming/overclocking memory are now available in non-binary 48 GB (24 GB x2) and high-capacity 64 GB (32 GB x2) kits, ensuring enhanced performance and multitasking capabilities. Ideal for modern-day computing needs, these new units are suitable for PC workstations and gaming rigs that settle for nothing but the very best. KLEVV's CRAS V RGB and CRAS XR5 RGB DDR5 gaming/overclocking memory offer up to 8000MT/s clock speed, perfect for content creators seeking to harness the unparalleled performance of the latest DDR5 technology.

Samsung Electronics today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2023. Total consolidated revenue was KRW 67.40 trillion, a 12% increase from the previous quarter, mainly due to new smartphone releases and higher sales of premium display products. Operating profit rose sequentially to KRW 2.43 trillion based on strong sales of flagship models in mobile and strong demand for displays, as losses at the Device Solutions (DS) Division narrowed.

The Memory Business reduced losses sequentially as sales of high valued-added products and average selling prices somewhat increased. Earnings in system semiconductors were impacted by a delay in demand recovery for major applications, but the Foundry Business posted a new quarterly high for new backlog from design wins. The mobile panel business reported a significant increase in earnings on the back of new flagship model releases by major customers, while the large panel business narrowed losses in the quarter. The Device eXperience (DX) Division achieved solid results due to robust sales of premium smartphones and TVs. Revenue at the Networks Business declined in major overseas markets as mobile operators scaled back investments.

Rambus Inc., a premier chip and silicon IP provider making data faster and safer, today announced that the Rambus HBM3 Memory Controller IP now delivers up to 9.6 Gigabits per second (Gbps) performance supporting the continued evolution of the HBM3 standard. With a 50% increase over the HBM3 Gen 1 data rate of 6.4 Gbps, the Rambus HBM3 Memory Controller can enable a total memory throughput of over 1.2 Terabytes per second (TB/s) for training of recommender systems, generative AI and other demanding data center workloads.

"HBM3 is the memory of choice for AI/ML training, with large language models requiring the constant advancement of high-performance memory technologies," said Neeraj Paliwal, general manager of Silicon IP at Rambus. "Thanks to Rambus innovation and engineering excellence, we're delivering the industry's leading-edge performance of 9.6 Gbps in our HBM3 Memory Controller IP."

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices today, is excited to introduce the brand-new RGB DDR5 GAMING X memory. BIOSTAR's newest RGB DDR5 GAMING X 16 GB 6400 MHz memory module is a masterclass in precision engineering, tailor-made for every gamer's passion. From the casual enthusiast to the dedicated mid-range player and the elite pro gamer seeking peak performance, this memory is the ultimate upgrade, ready to elevate any gaming rig to battle-ready perfection.

The RGB DDR5 GAMING X memory offers users a captivating visual experience, enhancing the aesthetics of any gaming or workstation setup with its stunning RGB lights. Seamlessly compatible with BIOSTAR's RGB-sync-ready motherboards, it allows for a harmonious synchronization of colors and effects, elevating the ambiance of the user's rig while ensuring peak performance.