Samsung Develops 512 GB DDR5 Memory Modules Running at 7.2 Gbps

[AleksandarK]

At this year's Hot chips 33 conference, Samsung has presented its works on the upcoming DDR5 memory standard. The company has managed to achieve a lot of new developments, as the newer standard pairs with new technologies to deliver higher speeds and better capacity. The Korean company designed its DDR5 modules as 8-high (8H) stacked TSV (through silicon via) dies. In the previous DDR4 implementations, Samsung used 4-high (4H) stacked TSV dies, which are actually thicker than the latest 8-high implementations. To achieve the new thin design, Samsung has used thin wafer handling techniques, which resulted in a 40% reduction in gab between stacked dies. The new 8H DDR5 modules are only 1.0 mm thick, compared to the 1.2 mm of the older 4H modules.

When it comes to performance, Samsung expects the new DDR5 modules to deliver big. Running at 7.2 Gbps speeds, the Samsung-made RDIMM/LRDIMM modules can reach up to 512 GB in capacity. This is, of course, limited to the server/enterprise market. Regular consumers/PC users can expect to have UDIMMs with up to 64 GB of capacity. The aforementioned 7.2 Gbps speed is achieved at the specified 1.1 Volts of power, meaning that Samsung's implementation is very efficient. According to some estimations made by the company, the DDR5 crossover for the mainstream market is not expected before 2023/2024, meaning that there is still a lot of time for memory makers to refine their DDR5 products.


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[Prima.Vera]

7.2 Gbps is how many MHz speed?

 

[ARF]

7.2 Gbps is how many MHz speed?

DDR5-7200 should be running at 3600 MHz double data rate.

 

[Mussels]

Goddamn, this may shake up the server world
(and then someone will find a way to mine bitcoins via system ram...)

 

[ARF]

Goddamn, this may shake up the server world
(and then someone will find a way to mine bitcoins via system ram...)

512 GB is a large capacity, what it can really serve for is RAM Disk, thus making obsolete any PCIe 4 and PCIe 5 SSDs.

 

[killferd]

Finally, Chrome can unleash it's full potential....

 

[jesdals]

Why not consumer desktop with 2TB memory - 1800MB for ramdisk storage that windows is loaded directly in to un startup and the rest for fun and games

 

[Prima.Vera]

DDR5-7200 should be running at 3600 MHz double data rate.

That's extremely low for DDR5....

 

[ARF]

That's extremely low for DDR5....

DDR4-2400 runs at 1200 MHz double data rate.
DDR4-3200 runs at 1600 MHz double data rate.

 

[Mussels]

That's extremely low for DDR5....

clearly these are high capacity sticks, you'd start at the lowest speed for reliability of manufacturing, then release faster modules later

a threadripper with 4TB of ram isn't gunna be there to win benchmarks, it's gunna be doing some high capacity shite, with reliability being key

 

[ARF]

The thing is that this Samsung's DDR5-7200 is a very high-end, fast DDR5.

DDR5 for the consumers will be DDR5-4800 running at 2400 MHz double data rate, later upgraded to DDR5-5400, DDR5-6400, etc.

 

[Wirko]

That's extremely low for DDR5....

It's for servers. The JEDEC specification allows for speeds between 4800 and 6400 MT/s for unbuffered (consumer) modules, and some sources mention up to 8400, which could be for buffered (server) modules. It's extremely unlikely for server hardware to exceed what has been defined by JEDEC.

Beside that, 7200 MT/s isn't extremely low. I have my doubts about Alder Lake's ability to handle that and not turn into a puddle of silicon even in Gear 2, let alone Gear 1.

In case you've been confused by the general MT/s versus MHz confusion: just avoid the MHz.

 

[ARF]

In case you've been confused by the general MT/s versus MHz confusion: just avoid the MHz.

It is simple, basic Maths. Just divide by 2, or by 4, or by 8 depending on the memory standard.

 

[Wirko]

It is simple, basic Maths. Just divide by 2, or by 4, or by 8 depending on the memory standard.

Yes it's simple, and still sometimes used in a wrong way. Even at TPU.

Um, when would you use 4 or 8? It's always 2 for double data rate transfers, and you too divided by 2 in your examples of DDR4 and DDR5 above.

 

[Ruru]

The speeds are always low or "low" for the new RAM generation for first few years as seen since DDR2.

 

[bonehead123]

Go Sammy. bring on DA supppeeeeedddd

 

[ARF]

Um, when would you use 4 or 8?

GDDR5 is by 4.
GDDR6 is by 8.
GDDR6X is by 16.

 

[docnorth]

It's for servers. The JEDEC specification allows for speeds between 4800 and 6400 MT/s for unbuffered (consumer) modules, and some sources mention up to 8400, which could be for buffered (server) modules. It's extremely unlikely for server hardware to exceed what has been defined by JEDEC.

Beside that, 7200 MT/s isn't extremely low. I have my doubts about Alder Lake's ability to handle that and not turn into a puddle of silicon even in Gear 2, let alone Gear 1.

In case you've been confused by the general MT/s versus MHz confusion: just avoid the MHz.

Yeah servers usually follow JEDEC and 7200 is already high (although probably with the standard timings). On the other hand Alder Lake should easily handle those frequencies, the same way a I7-6700K could handle 3200 (with basic DDR4 speed being 2133).

512 GB is a large capacity, what it can really serve for is RAM Disk, thus making obsolete any PCIe 4 and PCIe 5 SSDs.

Yeah, if we didn't have to pay 4000 usd/eur for 2x512 sticks...

 

[wahdangun]

Why not consumer desktop with 2TB memory - 1800MB for ramdisk storage that windows is loaded directly in to un startup and the rest for fun and games

until you lose your power

 

[WhitetailAni]

until you lose your power

Windows will still be installed to a storage drive, but on boot will be loaded onto your RAM.

Only the OS though. Programs would be on disk.

 

[dragontamer5788]

a threadripper with 4TB of ram isn't gunna be there to win benchmarks, it's gunna be doing some high capacity shite, with reliability being key

Those TB-of-RAM machines are almost certainly there to win database benchmarks.

Intel Optane and NVMe ain't got nothing on DDR4 / DDR5 speeds! If you can afford 4TB of RAM to accelerate your 4TB database, you're gonna get 4TB of RAM.

 

[eidairaman1]

DDR5-7200 should be running at 3600 MHz double data rate.

Since 7200 is the Theorhetical bandwidth.

 

[Tartaros]

At long last.

100+ fps on modded minecraft.

Praise the blocky lord.

 

[R-T-B]

and then someone will find a way to mine bitcoins via system ram...

That would just be what cpu mining has been since the dawn of time. Only thing that would be unique is a coin that somehow utilized capacity over ram/cpu speed.

 

[AlwaysHope]

"..the DDR5 crossover for the mainstream market is not expected before 2023/2024,.."

Good, cause it will be useless for gaming couple yrs yet.