“The 1z-based 16Gb LPDDR5 elevates the industry to a new threshold, overcoming a major developmental hurdle in DRAM scaling at advanced nodes,” said Jung-bae Lee, executive vice president of DRAM Product & Technology at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to expand our premium DRAM lineup and exceed customer demands, as we lead in growing the overall memory market.”

Expanding Manufacturing Capacity in Pyeongtaek Complex

Spanning more than 128,900 square meters (over 1.3 million square feet) – equivalent to about 16 soccer fields – Samsung’s Pyeongtaek Line 2 is the largest-scale semiconductor production line to date.

The new Pyeongtaek line will serve as the key manufacturing hub for the industry’s most advanced semiconductor technologies, delivering cutting-edge DRAM followed by next-generation V-NAND and foundry solutions, while reinforcing the company’s leadership in the Industry 4.0 era.

Fastest, Largest-capacity Mobile Memory

Based on today’s most advanced (1z) process node, Samsung’s new 16Gb LPDDR5 is the first memory to be mass produced using EUV technology, providing the highest speed and largest capacity available in mobile DRAM.

At 6,400 megabits per second (Mb/s), the new LPDDR5 is about 16 percent faster than the 12Gb LPDDR5 (5,500Mb/s) found in most of today’s flagship mobile devices. When made into a 16GB package, the LPDDR5 can transfer about 10 5GB-sized full-HD movies, or 51.2GB of data, in one second.

Thanks to its use of the first commercial 1z process, the LPDDR5 package is 30 percent thinner than its predecessor, enabling 5G and multi-camera smartphones as well as foldable devices to pack more functionality into a slim design. The 16Gb LPDDR5 can build a 16GB package with only eight chips, whereas its 1y-based predecessor requires 12 chips (eight 12Gb chips and four 8Gb chips) to provide the same capacity.

By delivering the first 1z-based 16GB LPDDR5 package to global smartphone makers, Samsung plans to further strengthen its presence in the flagship mobile device market throughout 2021. Samsung will also expand the use of its LPDDR5 offerings into automotive applications, offering an extended temperature range to meet strict safety and reliability standards in extreme environments.

“Samsung has been committed to bringing memory technologies to the cutting edge in allowing consumers to enjoy amazing experiences through their mobile devices. We are excited to stay true to that commitment with our new, top-of-the-line mobile solution for global device manufacturers,” said Cheol Choi, senior vice president of memory sales & marketing, Samsung Electronics. “With the introduction of a new product lineup based on our next-generation process technology later this year, Samsung will be able to fully address future memory demands from global customers.”

Data transfer rate for the 16GB LPDDR5 comes in at 5,500 megabits per second (Mb/s), approximately 1.3 times faster than the previous mobile memory (LPDDR4X, 4266Mb/s). Compared to an 8GB LPDDR4X package, the new mobile DRAM delivers more than 20-percent energy savings while providing up to twice the capacity.

Samsung’s 16GB LPDDR5 mobile DRAM package consists of eight 12-gigabit (Gb) chips and four 8Gb chips, equipping premium smartphones with twice the DRAM capacity found in many higher-end laptops and gaming PCs today. Along with the blazing-fast performance, the industry’s largest capacity supports dynamic and responsive game play as well as ultra-high-resolution graphics on premium smartphones for highly immersive mobile gaming experiences.

As Samsung continues to expand LPDDR5 mobile DRAM production at its Pyeongtaek site, the company plans to mass-produce 16Gb LPDDR5 products based on third-generation 10nm-class (1z) process technology in the second half of this year, in line with the development of a 6,400Mb/s chipset. Such relentless innovation is expected to well-position Samsung to further solidify its competitive edge in markets such as premium mobile devices, high-end PCs and automotive applications.

[Reference] Samsung Mobile DRAM Timeline: Production/Mass Prod.