Samsung GDDR7 Memory Operates at Lower Voltage, Built on Same Node as 24 Gbps G6

[btarunr]

Samsung on Wednesday announced mass-production of the world's first next-generation GDDR7 memory chips, and Ryan Smith from AnandTech scored a few technical details from the company. Apparently, the company's first production version of GDDR7 memory is built on the same D1z silicon foundry node as its 24 Gbps GDDR6 memory chip—the fastest GDDR6 chip in production. D1z is a 10 nm class foundry node that utilizes EUV lithography.

Smith also scored some electrical specs. The first-gen GDDR7 memory chip offers a data-rate of 32 Gbps at a DRAM voltage of 1.2 V, compared to the 1.35 V that some of the higher speed GDDR6 chips operate at. While the pJpb (pico-Joules per bit) is 7% higher than the current generation in absolute terms, for the 32 Gbps data-rate on offer, it is 20% lower compared to that of the 24 Gbps GDDR6 chip. Put simply, GDDR7 is 20% more energy efficient. Smith remarks that this energy-efficiency gain is purely architectural, and isn't a from any refinements to the D1z node. GDDR7 uses PAM3 signaling compared to the NRZ signaling of conventional GDDR6, and the PAM4 signalling of the GDDR6X non-JEDEC standard that NVIDIA co-developed with Micron Technology.



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[TumbleGeorge]

D1z is a sub-10 nm class

Strangely, I found the data that the lithographic process of that name is dimensioned from 15.7nm.

 

[N/A]

This means they can ramp up the production using the same node as simple as that and all the current gen offerings are no longer worth considering.
Refreshes are imminent with 50% free bandwidth and 25% free performance. Too bad this spells no improvement of capacities.

 

[Mr. Perfect]

Just missing a link to the full Anandtech article.

 

[Minus Infinity]

The article should point out though that 20% more energy efficient doesn't mean it will use less power. Look at the picojoule/bit number and at 32Gb/s it will still use more power than GDDR6.