Samsung just ushered in a new era for RAM, with an absolute behemoth of a DDR5 memory module they just introduced.
The one they revealed is a massive 512 GB, 7200 MHz DDR5 module, which they say offers a 40% performance jump from DDR4 at twice the capacity for just 1.1V, reports Tom's Hardware. Samsung revealed the module for the first time at Hot Chips 33, an E3 or Computex-like event that focuses more on microprocessors and related integrated circuits.
Oh, and did we mention that the capacity is 512 GB on a single DDR5 memory stick? And Samsung managed to achieve this by using some very clever engineering tactics.
To build the DIMM, Samsung used eight-stack DDR5 dies which were interconnected using TSV, or through-silicon-via technology. Compared to DDR4 which only allowed four dies, this is an insane jump in terms of hardware. However, the DIMM isn't physically larger since each DDR5 stack measures 1 mm, unlike DDR4's 1.2 mm.
This technique allowed Samsung to reduce the gaps between the dies by almost half, reducing the height on the stacks.
High capacity, high-speed DDR5 DIMMs have been in the works at Samsung for a while now. In fact, this isn't even the first they produced. Back in March, the company announced the development of the first development of a 512 GB module, according to the official Samsung newsroom.
Samsung's DDR5 DIMM Isn't For Mere Mortals, Though
Samsung's announcement is incredibly exciting, especially for tech enthusiasts. But the problem is, you won't be able to buy the new Samsung module for, say, your upcoming Intel Alder Lake build. That's because the 512 GB DIMMs are only intended for data centers and servers. Consumer-class sticks could only top out at 64 GB per stick, much like last-gen DDR4.
And this makes a lot of sense, really. Data centers and servers need high-speed, high-capacity, extremely efficient memory to ensure a minimal risk of data loss. These servers handle a ton of data, after all, mostly in high-stakes applications such as handling the data of multi-million and multi-billion dollar companies. Samsung's monstrous memory module makes sense in this situation for a simple reason: even the failure of a single RAM stick could cause a catastrophic data loss.
The Dawn of DDR5: Who Can Get It Though?
Don't worry if you don't get the blazing-fast RAM kit from Samsung. Consumer-class kits will still be extremely good, offering speeds of around 5600 MHz during early tests. Even the fastest DDR4 kits on the planet only managed to top out at 5100 MHz. That was a kit from Crucial, which was reported on by PC Gamer.
But if you want to reap the benefits of DDR5, you'll need a platform change. Even your brand-new Ryzen 5000 series PC won't support it, because AMD plans to launch DDR5 support with their Zen 4 chips. As for Intel, you'll need to go for an Alder Lake build this time around.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce
