Samsung launches a series of new memory standards: 'Shinebolt' HBM3E 9.8Gbps, GDDR7 32Gbps, LPDDR5x CAMM2 7.5Gbps

Samsung has officially introduced the highly anticipated next generation memory technologies, including HBM3E, GDDR7, LPDDR5x CAMM2, etc. within the framework of the company's annual Memory Tech Day 2023 event. Among them, the HBM3E memory line codenamed "Shine Bolt" and GDDR7 technology for data center, game and AI applications requiring high performance can be considered the two most prominent highlights of the program. presented this year.

Samsung HBM3E "Shinebolt" for data center and AI

Building on its expertise in commercializing the industry's first HBM2 and opening up the HBM market for high-performance computing (HPC) in 2016, Samsung has officially announced the next generation HBM3E DRAM called Shinebolt . The new memory family is expected to provide optimal support for AI applications, improve total cost of ownership (TCO), and accelerate AI model training and inference in the center data.

Samsung launches a series of new memory standards: 'Shinebolt' HBM3E 9.8Gbps, GDDR7 32Gbps, LPDDR5x CAMM2 7.5Gbps Picture 1

Samsung's HBM3E memory is said to boast an impressive speed of 9.8 gigabits per second (Gbps) per pin, meaning it can achieve peak transfer speeds in excess of 1.2 terabytes per second (TBps). To enable higher layer stacking and improved thermal properties, Samsung has optimized its non-conductive film (NCF) technology to eliminate gaps between chip layers and maximize thermal conductivity levels. Samsung's HBM3 8H and 12H products are currently in mass production, while prototypes are being shipped to partners worldwide.

Compare HBM memory specifications:

Samsung launches a series of new memory standards: 'Shinebolt' HBM3E 9.8Gbps, GDDR7 32Gbps, LPDDR5x CAMM2 7.5Gbps Picture 2

Samsung GDDR7 - DRAM32 Gbps & 32Gb new generation gaming graphics card

Other products highlighted at the event include ultra-high-capacity 32Gb DDR5 DRAM, the industry's first 32Gbps GDDR7, and petabyte-scale PBSSD, which significantly enhances storage capabilities for server applications.

Samsung launches a series of new memory standards: 'Shinebolt' HBM3E 9.8Gbps, GDDR7 32Gbps, LPDDR5x CAMM2 7.5Gbps Picture 3

According to Samsung, GDDR7 memory will increase performance by 40% and improve energy efficiency by 20% compared to today's fastest 24 Gbps GDDR6 DRAM. Its first commercial GDDR7 products will deliver transfer speeds of up to 32 Gbps, representing a 33% improvement over GDDR6 memory, while bandwidth of up to 1.5TB/s will be achievable on the 384-bit bus interface solution.

Here is the bandwidth that a 32Gbps pin rate will provide on different bus configurations:

1. 512-bit - 2048GB/s (2.0 TB/s)
2. 384-bit - 1536GB/s (1.5 TB/s)
3. 320-bit - 1280GB/s (1.3 TB/s)
4. 256-bit - 1024GB/s (1.0 TB/s)
5. 192-bit - 768GB/s
6. 128-bit - 512GB/s

Additionally, Samsung GDDR7 DRAM is said to include technology specifically optimized for high-speed workloads, and will also have a low operating voltage option designed for power-hungry applications. low volume like on a laptop. For heatsinks, the new memory standard will use a high thermal conductivity epoxy molding compound (EMC) that reduces thermal resistance by up to 70%. In August, it was reported that Samsung was sending its GDDR7 DRAM prototypes to NVIDIA to evaluate integration on its upcoming line of gaming graphics cards.

Samsung launches a series of new memory standards: 'Shinebolt' HBM3E 9.8Gbps, GDDR7 32Gbps, LPDDR5x CAMM2 7.5Gbps Picture 4

Samsung LPDDR5x for next generation CAMM2 module

To handle data-intensive tasks, today's AI technologies are moving towards a hybrid model that distributes and allocates workloads between cloud and edge devices. Accordingly, Samsung has introduced a series of memory solutions that support high performance, high capacity, low power consumption and compact form factor on the edge device side.

Samsung launches a series of new memory standards: 'Shinebolt' HBM3E 9.8Gbps, GDDR7 32Gbps, LPDDR5x CAMM2 7.5Gbps Picture 5

In addition to the industry's first 7.5Gbps LPDDR5X CAMM2, which is expected to be a real game-changer in the next-generation PC and laptop DRAM market, Samsung also introduced the 9.6Gbps LPDDR5X DRAM, which is LLW DRAM model specialized for AI. Along with that is the new generation Universal Flash Storage (UFS) and high-capacity Quad-Level Cell (QLC) BM9C1 SSD for PCs.

Kareem Winters

Update 22 October 2023