Samsung Starts Offering First A-Die Based RAM

[AleksandarK]

Samsung's B die has been widely known as a good, high performance variant of DRAM memory, loved by overclockers because of its ability to get to a high frequency with relatively low timings. However, B die has been discontinued and now Samsung started offering its replacement in form of the newly developed A die manufactured in 1z nm (1z class) lithography process. Despite the lack of technical details surrounding the new die type, Hardwareluxx has received a tip from its reader about new RAM offering that incorporates A die memory.

The M378A4G43AB2-CVF, as it is called in the listing, is a 32 GB, single dimm DDR4 RAM with operating speed of 2933 MHz and CL21-21-21 timings. This particular offer isn't something to be excited about as the frequency is good, but the timings are quite high for that speed. Given that we don't know where the A die is targeted at, we can speculate that its current aim is at mid-tier systems, where the mediocre performance is okay and the system isn't suffering (performance wise) because of it. Nonetheless this find is quite interesting as it gives first hints at what can we expect in therms of future A die DRAM offerings. Remember, it took some time for B die as well to get to the level of performance we have today, so it is entirely possible that A die will improve and try to aim for greater performance level than it currently has.


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[Tomgang]

32 GB on a single dimm is not to shabby, but 2933 MHz and timings is CL 21 is litterly laughable. If A-die is supose to replace B-die, Samsung needs way better spec than this for sure to get my attention.
Glad so far i have ordere Memory with Samsung B-die for my up comming Ryzen 3000 build rated for 3600 MHz CL 14-15-15-35 at 1.4 volts. hoping with a bit more voltage i can cram timmings down to CL14-14-14-32.

Sure A-die is in its infancy, but i will not wait a year or longer for A-die to get better. B-die for life and now.

 

[Zubasa]

32 GB on a single dimm is not to shabby, but 2933 MHz and timings is CL 21 is litterly laughable. If A-die is supose to replace B-die, Samsung needs way better spec than this for sure to get my attention.
Glad so far i have ordere Memory with Samsung B-die for my up comming Ryzen 3000 build rated for 3600 MHz CL 14-15-15-35 at 1.4 volts. hoping with a bit more voltage i can cram timmings down to CL14-14-14-32.

You are comparing JEDEC spec ram to XMP ram which are overclocked.

 

[R0H1T]

32 GB on a single dimm is not to shabby, but 2933 MHz and timings is CL 21 is litterly laughable.

They already make RAM which is appreciably faster, as Zyasa said though it's XMP.

 

[Tomgang]

You are comparing JEDEC spec ram to XMP ram which are overclocked.

Maybe but B-die still has better timming at lower clock/voltage and for Ryzen 3000 timming is just as importent as high memory clock. If not more importent than clock in fact. So no matter what, right now i go for B-die.

They already make RAM which is appreciably faster, as Zyasa said though it's XMP.

I never use XMP. I all ways dial clock and timings in manuel. My current X58 build has XMP on memory, but i dont use it. All memory clock and timings has been done manuel.

 

[Deleted member 178884]

Maybe but B-die still has better timming at lower clock/voltage and for Ryzen 3000 timming is just as importent as high memory clock. If not more importent than clock in fact. So no matter what, right now i go for B-die.

Did you not read the thread? It's a 32gb single DIMM, this isn't any old RAM. Good luck finding a B die 32gb DIMM that doesn't cost an absolute fortune. That's the main reason it's clocked so low / poor timings, it's a new die and generally higher capacity kits will struggle to run faster timings.

 

[Zubasa]

Maybe but B-die still has better timming at lower clock/voltage and for Ryzen 3000 timming is just as importent as high memory clock. If not more importent than clock in fact. So no matter what, right now i go for B-die.

I think you are confusing overclocking potential with actual offical JEDEC spec.
JEDEC spec ram are there to just work on just about every platform without any setting required.
There is no real way to determine how well a new type of IC overclocks except to get some and try.
The JEDEC specs of B-die is "laughably slow" as well.
https://www.samsung.com/semiconduct...11/8G_B_DDR4_Samsung_Spec_Rev2_1_Feb_17-0.pdf

 

[Tomgang]

Did you not read the thread? It's a 32gb single DIMM, this isn't any old RAM. Good luck finding a B die 32gb DIMM that doesn't cost an absolute fortune. That's the main reason it's clocked so low / poor timings, it's a new die and generally higher capacity kits will struggle to run faster timings.

Then i can ask the same. Dit you not read what i ride: "32 GB on a single dimm is not to shabby"

 

[TheMadDutchDude]

I thought they confirmed that B-die wasn't discontinued...? I can't remember where I saw that.

 

[Deleted member 178884]

Then i can ask the same. Dit you not read what i ride: "32 GB on a single dimm is not to shabby"

You can't ask the same because you're completely confused here, As Zubasa pointed out the DIMM is running JDEC by default, the same applies to Samsung C die memory which can pull off impressive overclocks for the price it is yet has laughably slow timings at stock.

 

[Midland Dog]

my ddr3 1333 9-9-9-24 2t kit clocks higher with tighter timings than that, albiet at like 20w power draw

 

[MrPotatoHead]

my ddr3 1333 9-9-9-24 2t kit clocks higher with tighter timings than that, albiet at like 20w power draw

You can hit 2933 with ddr3??

 

[Midland Dog]

You can hit 2933 with ddr3??

yeah with loose timings that are still tighter than the A die in question. Haswell has top IMCs. my g3258 did 2666 and ive benched 3200 on my 4690k

 

[Deleted member 178884]

my ddr3 1333 9-9-9-24 2t kit clocks higher with tighter timings than that, albiet at like 20w power draw

Your DDR3 kit is also a 32gb single DIMM? Nope.
Not to even mention you're comparing overclocked DDR3 to stock JDEC ddr4 at 32gb per dimm, which is currently clocking poorly as it's still rather new.

 

[Midland Dog]

Your DDR3 kit is also a 32gb single DIMM? Nope.
Not to even mention you're comparing overclocked DDR3 to stock JDEC ddr4 at 32gb per dimm, which is currently clocking poorly as it's still rather new.

doesnt matter. they should easily be able to beat ddr3 on any ddr4 kit, heck even the 8gb kits that are sold at those clock ranges have worse timings than my ddr3 at those clocks. ddr4 loosened timings to achieve more clock, pretty dumb if it cant clock aye?


and considering my ddr3 kit was literally the lowest ripjaws x bin id say its doing pretty good

 

[Deleted member 178884]

pretty dumb if it cant clock aye?

This is stock what are you expecting? 3866mhz @ cl12 on the first few 32gb single DIMMs? These won't clock well at stock for years to come.

 

[Midland Dog]

This is stock what are you expecting? 3866mhz @ cl12 on the first few 32gb single DIMMs? These won't clock well at stock for years to come.

for the average jo its probably fine but for anyone wanting good memory performance you would probably be better off going 4x16gb than this. even tho the extra 2 dimms would load the imc up more im willing to bet on average it would still clock higher

 

[Deleted member 178884]

for the average jo its probably fine but for anyone wanting good memory performance you would probably be better off going 4x16gb than this. even tho the extra 2 dimms would load the imc up more im willing to bet on average it would still clock higher

This is not for the average joe, what average joe will even consider such memory capacity? This kit is to RAM (literally) lots of memory capacity into a system with few DIMMs - which lower capacity DIMMs will not offer.

 

[Midland Dog]

This is not for the average joe, what average joe will even consider such memory capacity? This kit is to RAM (literally) lots of memory capacity into a system with few DIMMs - which lower capacity DIMMs will not offer.

the average jo doesnt know what a dimm is remember. if this was ECC registered i would have no complaint but because A die replaces B die i have an issue with it. Sure a smaller kit would clock higher, but probably not by much, tbh they should have kept bdie alive

unrelated but its a different idea, would SODIMMS clock higher as the pcb is smaller and hence the data has less difference to travel or would it introduce crosstalk due to being more dense

 

[londiste]

32 GB on a single dimm is not to shabby, but 2933 MHz and timings is CL 21 is litterly laughable. If A-die is supose to replace B-die, Samsung needs way better spec than this for sure to get my attention.
Glad so far i have ordere Memory with Samsung B-die for my up comming Ryzen 3000 build rated for 3600 MHz CL 14-15-15-35 at 1.4 volts. hoping with a bit more voltage i can cram timmings down to CL14-14-14-32.

As someone said above - JEDEC Spec. Most notable there is the voltage. DDR4 by spec is 1.2V and by that measure 2399CL21 isn't half bad.
How the same chips perform with 1.35V is still an open question.

 

[Midland Dog]

As someone said above - JEDEC Spec. Most notable there is the voltage. DDR4 by spec is 1.2V and by that measure 2399CL21 isn't half bad.
How the same chips perform with 1.35V is still an open question.

how high does ddr4 scale with vdimm? my ddr3 kit scales all the way up to 1.95vdimm past that i would probably need to use active cooling to see any gain at all

 

[Deleted member 178884]

how high does ddr4 scale with vdimm? my ddr3 kit scales all the way up to 1.95vdimm past that i would probably need to use active cooling to see any gain at all

1.5V max for b-die generally and 1.45V for Hynix.

 

[londiste]

how high does ddr4 scale with vdimm? my ddr3 kit scales all the way up to 1.95vdimm past that i would probably need to use active cooling to see any gain at all

When comparing keep in mind that DDR3 spec voltage is 1.5V.

 

[notb]

32 GB on a single dimm is not to shabby, but 2933 MHz and timings is CL 21 is litterly laughable

2933 MHz is fast enough and hardly anyone cares about timings.

Basically, Samsung made a proper RAM for normal people - not to attract overclockers and such. This should keep the price down. Good stuff.

 

[MrPotatoHead]

Makes no difference, some of the bdie ram is only rated 2133 ddr4 and clock up to 4000+ etc these could well overclock pretty good as well, though no one knows so it's useless arguing over their jedec speed as that usually doesn't mean they won't clock like shit off a shovel