Samsung Samples 32 Gb DDR4 Memory Chips

[harlan4096]

Samsung recently began sampling of its 32 Gb capacity DDR4 memory chips. The new products will simplify production of high-capacity memory modules that use multiple DRAM packages.

Samsung’s 32 Gb A-die DDR4-2666 chips are comprised of two stacked 16 Gb DDR4 dies produced using the company’s 10 nm-class process technology. Samsung offers two versions of 32 Gb DDR4 packages: one featuring a 2G x8 organization, another featuring a 1G x16 organization. The former is seen by memory controller as two memory devices, whereas the latter is considered as one DRAM device. The DDPs (dual die packages) come in standard 78 or 96-ball FBGA form-factor and use the industry-standard voltage of 1.2 V.

JEDEC’s DDR4 specification only describes 4 Gb, 8Gb, and 16 Gb memory devices. As a result, DRAM makers have to use advanced packaging techniques to build chips for high-capacity memory modules for servers or workstations. DDPs are not something particularly new, but 32 Gb DDR4-2666 DDPs are unique to Samsung.

32 Gb DDR4 memory chips will enable makers of modules and PCs to use fewer DRAM chips for building high-capacity solutions for applications that require high memory density or small form-factors. Obviously, dual-rank memory modules will still require support from memory controllers, but at least it will be easier to build high-capacity memory sub-systems using these chips.

Samsung does not disclose pricing of its 32 Gb DDR4-2666 DDPs, but it is obvious that they will be sold at a premium given the fact that they are only available from Samsung and they are harder to build than SDPs.

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