Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced it has developed the industry’s first 24-gigabit (Gb) GDDR7¹ DRAM. In addition to the industry’s highest capacity, the GDDR7 features the fastest speed, positioning itself as the optimum solution for next-generation applications.

With its high capacity and powerful performance, the 24Gb GDDR7 will be widely utilized in various fields that require high-performance memory solutions, such as data centers and AI workstations, extending beyond the traditional applications of graphics DRAM in graphics cards, gaming consoles and autonomous driving.

“After developing the industry’s first 16Gb GDDR7 last year, Samsung has reinforced its technological leadership in the graphics DRAM market with this latest achievement,” said YongCheol Bae, Executive Vice President of Memory Product Planning at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to lead the graphics DRAM market by bringing next-generation products that align with the growing needs of the AI market.” The 24Gb GDDR7 utilizes 5th-generation 10-nanometer (nm)-class DRAM, which enables cell density to increase by 50% while maintaining the same package size as the predecessor.

In addition to the advanced process node, three-level Pulse-Amplitude Modulation (PAM3) signaling is used to help achieve the industry-leading speed for graphics DRAM of 40 gigabits-per-second (Gbps), a 25% improvement over the previous version. The GDDR7’s performance can be further enhanced to up to 42.5Gbps, depending on the usage environment.

Power efficiency is also enhanced by applying technologies that were previously used in mobile products to graphics DRAM for the first time. By implementing methods like clock control management² and dual VDD design,³ unnecessary power consumption can be significantly reduced, leading to an improvement of over 30% in power efficiency.

To boost operational stability during high-speed operations, the 24Gb GDDR7 minimizes current leakage by using power gating design techniques.

Validation for the 24Gb GDDR7 in next-generation AI computing systems from major GPU customers will begin this year, with plans for commercialization early next year.

¹ Graphics Double Data Rate 7 (GDDR7)
² Clock control management refers to methods used to regulate the clocks (timing signals) of chips.
³ Dual VVD (voltage supply) design is a power management technique that supplies different voltage levels in the same chip.

“With our 12nm-class 32Gb DRAM, we have secured a solution that will enable DRAM modules of up to 1-terabyte (TB), allowing us to be ideally positioned to serve the growing need for high-capacity DRAM in the era of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and big data,” said SangJoon Hwang, Executive Vice President of DRAM Product & Technology at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to develop DRAM solutions through differentiated process and design technologies to break the boundaries of memory technology.”

A 500,000 Fold Increase in DRAM Capacity Since 1983

Having developed its first 64-kilobit (Kb) DRAM in 1983, Samsung has now succeeded in enhancing its DRAM capacity by a factor of 500,000 over the last 40 years.

Samsung’s newest memory product, developed using cutting-edge processes and technologies to increase integration density and design optimization, boasts the industry’s highest capacity for a single DRAM chip and offers double the capacity of 16Gb DDR5 DRAM in the same package size.

Previously, DDR5 128GB DRAM modules manufactured using 16Gb DRAM required the Through Silicon Via (TSV) process. However, by using Samsung’s 32Gb DRAM, the 128GB module can now be produced without using the TSV process, while reducing power consumption by approximately 10% compared to 128GB modules with 16Gb DRAM. This technological breakthrough makes the product the optimal solution for enterprises that emphasize power efficiency, such as data centers.

With its 12nm-class 32Gb DDR5 DRAM as a foundation, Samsung plans to continue expanding its lineup of high-capacity DRAM to meet the current and future demands of the computing and IT industry. Samsung will reaffirm its leadership in the next-generation DRAM market by supplying the 12-nm-class 32Gb DRAM to data centers as well as to customers that require applications like AI and next-generation computing. The product will also play an important role in Samsung’s continued collaboration with other key industry players.

Mass production of the new 12nm-class 32Gb DDR5 DRAM is scheduled to begin by the end of this year.

To find out more about Samsung’s DRAM products, visit Samsung Semiconductor website.

¹ DDR5 DRAM: Double-Data Rate 5 Dynamic Random-Access Memory.