Samsung formally announced that it started to mass-produce the first 4 GB DRAM package, which uses the latest bandwidth based on the second-generation High Bandwidth Memory (HBM2) interface.
According to the OEM, the HBM2 gives as much as 256 GBps of bandwidth, more than double the size of the previous HBM1 module. The South Korean manufacturer aims to increase its presence in the enterprise and gaming industry, via the new DRAM packages. Possible uses include, but are not limited to machine learning needs, network systems, servers and PCs involved in parallel computing.
According to the company's press release, the new memory makes use of the proprietary 20-nanometer process and the advanced chip design, virtually multiplying the DRAM's data transmission speed seven-fold.
To reach such breathtaking speeds, Samsung stacks the 4 GB HMB2 package against four 8-gigabit core dies, sitting over a buffer die.
The package is assembled using Through Silicon Via DRAM (TSV DRAM) technology. This means that every chip die in the module only has several dozen micrometers in length and it uses electrodes that pass through hundreds of holes to connect vertically with others. The positioning allows for significantly improved signal transmission when compared to conventional memory chips that connect using wire bonding.
So far, the Seoul-based company manufactures 4 GB HBM2 DRAM and it projects the start of 8 GB HBM2 RAM manufacturing in the second part of this year.
Gaming enthusiasts should know that the DRAM package should enable graphics cards to save over "95 percent" space on their graphics cards, while retaining a high efficiency and low power consumption.
This simply means that Nvidia and AMD will be able to use Samsung's memory chips to enhance their potential, while also creating slimmer and thinner gaming systems.
Sewon Chun, senior VP Memory Marketing, Samsung Electronics, talks about the new direction in the press release.
"By mass producing next-generation HBM2 DRAM, we can contribute much more to the rapid adoption of next-generation HPC systems by global IT companies," Sewon says.
He goes on to add that by using the company's 3D memory technology, Samsung meets the multilateral multifaceted needs of the global IT market. There is a good deal of hope that HBM DRAM will set the tune for future growth of the DRAM market, according to Sewon.
As a reminder, Samsung also announced back in November 2015 that it started volume production of 128 GB DDR4 TSV RAM for enterprise customers.
