Samsung Electronics announced on September 26th that they have successfully developed the first 7.5Gbps low-power compression attached memory module (LPCAMM) and have conducted system verification on Intel platforms.
Samsung plans to test LPCAMM with major customers this year for its application in next-generation systems, with commercialization targeted for 2024.
Currently, personal computers and laptops use traditional LPDDR DRAM or DDR-based So-DIMMs (small form factor dual in-line memory modules). However, due to structural limitations, LPDDR needs to be directly installed on the device's motherboard, making it difficult to replace during maintenance or upgrades. On the other hand, although So-DIMMs can be more conveniently installed or removed, they have many limitations in terms of performance, power consumption, and other physical characteristics.
With technological advancements, LPCAMM is expected to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of LPDDR and So-DIMMs. LPCAMM is a removable module that provides greater flexibility for PC and laptop manufacturers. Compared to So-DIMMs, LPCAMM can reduce size by 60%, effectively utilizing the internal space of devices, and improving performance and energy efficiency by 50% and 70% respectively. As for LPDDR, while the industry recognizes its power-saving features for server applications, there are certain limitations in practical usage. For example, when upgrading server DRAM specifications, the entire motherboard needs to be replaced. Using LPCAMM can avoid these issues.
Samsung believes that LPCAMM will be widely used in personal computers, laptops, and data centers, potentially changing the DRAM market for PCs and laptops, and even the DRAM market for data centers.