Intel Prepares Core Ultra 5-238V Lunar Lake-MX CPU with 32 GB LPDDR5X Memory

[AleksandarK]

Intel has prepared the Core Ultra 5-238V, a Lunar Lake-MX CPU that integrates 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory into the CPU package. This new design represents a significant departure from the traditional approach of using separate memory modules, promising enhanced performance and efficiency, similar to what Apple is doing with its M series of processors. The Core Ultra 5-238V is the first of its kind for Intel to hit mass consumers. Previous attempt was with Lakefield, which didn't take off, but had advanced 3D stacked Foveros packaging. With 32 GB of high-bandwidth, low-power LPDDR5X memory directly integrated into the CPU package, the Core Ultra 5-238V eliminates the need for separate memory modules, reducing latency and improving overall system responsiveness. This seamless integration results in faster data transfer rates and lower power consumption with LPDDR5X memory running at 8533 MT.

Applications that demand intensive memory usage, such as video editing, 3D rendering, and high-end gaming, will be the first to experience performance gains. Users can expect smoother multitasking, quicker load times, and more efficient handling of memory-intensive tasks. The Core Ultra 5-238V is equipped with four big Lion Cove and four little Skymont cores, in combination with seven Xe2-LPG cores based on Battlemage GPU microarchitecture. The bigger siblings to Core Ultra 5, the Core Ultra 7 series, will feature eight Xe2-LPG cores instead of seven, with the same CPU core count, while all of them will run the fourth generation NPU.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[hsew]

So much for LPCAMM2…

 

[pressing on]

As the on package memory will come in 16GB and 32GB sizes hopefully this will spell the end of the 8GB RAM laptop...

 

[Solid State Brain]

Increase the number of modules to 4 / 4-channel LPDDR5X-8533, and it starts having decent bandwidth for LLM inference.

 

[duckface]

This is for AI, a model weighs around 3-6GB excluding add-ons, all of this needs to be loaded somewhere when it is generated, and processors ready for AI will have to have their own built-in memory

 

[R0H1T]

hopefully this will spell the end of the 8Gb RAM laptop

You mean no more Macbook airs or celeron quad core chips?

 

[TheLostSwede]

As the on package memory will come in 16Gb and 32Gb sizes hopefully this will spell the end of the 8Gb RAM laptop...

2, 4 and 1 GB memory packages? I think you mean GB, not Gb...

 

[Lew Zealand]

You mean no more Macbook airs or celeron quad core chips?

...or Mac Minis or iMacs...

 

[ikjadoon]

So much for LPCAMM2…

For power efficiency, soldered and on-package are likely too good to let go.

According to JEDEC,

• DDR5 CAMM2: performance notebooks (SO-DIMM), desktops (DIMM)
• LPDDR5 CAMM2: more notebooks, server markets

I'd love to see Intel publish a end-to-end pJ / bit comparison of LPDDR5 on-package vs soldered vs LPCAMM2 vs a SO-DIMM.

 

[kondamin]

So tiered ram stages in next gen computer systems?

 

[AnarchoPrimitiv]

Why did Intel REALLY do this? Was it because performance gains weren't enough without it? Or because they figured they could pull an apple and add another component that they can upcharge on?

 

[kondamin]

Why did Intel REALLY do this? Was it because performance gains weren't enough without it? Or because they figured they could pull an apple and add another component that they can upcharge on?

smaller footprint is a very good reason to do this

 

[Minus Infinity]

As the on package memory will come in 16GB and 32GB sizes hopefully this will spell the end of the 8GB RAM laptop...

You do know Microsoft's BS AI requirements are forcing 16GB minimum now. Intel had no choice, but hey 8GB is indeed a sick and sad joke in 2024 and it should never be offered even in trash tier laptop.

 

[ikjadoon]

smaller footprint is a very good reason to do this

Intel also mentions power. Below 10W, every bit counts across the entire system, especially as more power is lost through chiplets.

Regarding size, what's more interesting is the skinny package of LPDDR5.

Typical LPDDR5 package: ~12mm x ~15mm x ~1mm
Lunar Lake's rumored LPDDR5 package: ~12mm x 7mm x ~0.65mm

Half the width and virtually half the height. The M3 also appears to use a half-width LPDDR5 packages which fits them sideways.

Typical LPDDR5 uses the square-ish shape:

That JEDEC is perhaps standardizing this may be sign that Intel is in fact making Apple's choices more standards-friendly and available to the greater market.