Samsung reveals 12nm DDR5 with up to 7200 MT/s speeds with AMD as their validation partner

Samsung will soon start to mass produce faster 12nm DDR5 modules with AMD as their validation partner

Samsung plans to start mass production for their new 12nm-class DDR5 memory in 2023, promising 7,200 MT/s speeds, increased memory densities, and higher levels of power efficiency. In short, Samsung’s newest DDR5 modules will improve their DDR5 DRAM technology in every way that matters.

With their new DDR5 memory technology, Samsung has opted to use AMD as their hardware validation partner, ensuring that their new DRAM will have strong compatibility with AMD Zen processors. Below is what AMD had to say about this decision;

    Innovation often requires close collaboration with industry partners to push the bounds of technology,” said Joe Macri, Senior VP, Corporate Fellow and Client, Compute and Graphics CTO at AMD. “We are thrilled to once again collaborate with Samsung, particularly on introducing DDR5 memory products that are optimized and validated on ‘Zen’ platforms.

With their new 12nm-class DDR5 memory, Samsung has claimed that they have been able to achieve a 20% increase in wafer productivity, securing for the company higher silicon yields and the potential to increase their margins or lower their DDR5 memory prices. Samsung’s new DDR5 memory modules utilise a new high-κ material that increases cell capacitance, and proprietary design technology that improves critical circuit characteristics. Additionally, Samsung has started to use multi-layer Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography techniques to increase die density.    

In terms of power efficiency, Samsung has claimed that their new DDR5 memory chips are now consumer 23% less power than their last-generation counterparts, making their latest memory modules ideal for power-conscious users.

DDR5 is evolving

With their latest DDR5 memory modules, Samsung has made their DRAM faster, more efficient, and more dense. This improved Samsung’s DDR5 DRAM technology in all ways that matter, as boosted speeds will enable faster PCs, higher efficient levels will decrease power draw (and increase the battery life of mobile systems), and increased DRAM density will allow Samsung to create more DRAM chips per wafer to increase their productivity and lower per-chip manufacturing costs. All in all, these are some solid improvements from Samsung, and a sign that DDR5 memory technologies are improving.

Over the next year, expect higher speed DDR5 memory to become more common, and expect DDR5 DRAM to become less expensive. The DDR5 memory ecosystem is maturing, and that is a good thing for PC builders and system integrators alike.

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