Samsung announced this month that it has begun sampling the industry’s first 16-gigabit (Gb) Graphics Double Data Rate 6 (GDDR6) DRAM featuring 24-gigabit-per-second (Gbps) processing speeds. Built on Samsung’s third-generation 10-nanometer-class (1z) process using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology, the new memory is, according to Samsung, “designed to significantly advance the graphics performance for next-generation graphics cards (Video Graphics Arrays), laptops and game consoles, as well as artificial intelligence-based applications and high-performance computing (HPC) systems.”
“The explosion of data now being driven by AI and the metaverse is pushing the need for greater graphics capabilities that can process massive data sets simultaneously, at extremely high speeds,” said Daniel Lee, executive vice president of the Memory Product Planning Team at Samsung Electronics. “With our industry-first 24Gbps GDDR6 now sampling, we look forward to validating the graphics DRAM on next-generation GPU platforms to bring it to market in time to meet an onslaught of new demand.”
Incorporating an innovative circuit design and a highly advanced insulating material (High-K Metal Gate; HKMG) that minimizes current leakage, Samsung’s 24Gbps GDDR6 will deliver 30% faster speeds compared to the previous 18Gbps product. When integrated into a premium graphics card, the GDDR6 DRAM can transfer, as already mentioned, up to 1.1-terabytes (TB) of data, or about 275 Full HD movies, in just one second.
Designed to be fully compliant with JEDEC specifications, Samsung’s GDDR6 DRAM will be compatible across all GPU designs, facilitating broad market adoption in a wide array of graphics solutions. JEDEC (Joint Electron Tube Engineering Council) is the global leader in developing open standards for the microelectronics industry, with more than 3,000 volunteers representing over three hundred member companies.
Samsung’s new GDDR6 lineup will also be “laptop friendly”, as the processor is designed with low-power options that help extend the battery life of laptops. Utilizing dynamic voltage switching (DVS) technology which adjusts the operating voltage depending on performance requirements, Samsung will provide 20Gbps and 16Gbps versions with approximately 20% higher power efficiency at 1.1V, compared to the 1.35V GDDR6 industry standard.
Graphics DRAM is increasingly being sought for use beyond PCs, laptops and game consoles, extending into other graphics-intensive applications like HPC, autonomous driving and electric cars. Addressing these emerging markets, Samsung’s GDDR6 will enable seamless 4K and 8K video playback, while supporting demanding AI accelerator workloads.
Samsung continues to lead the graphics DRAM market globally, and forecasts that the high-performance graphics portion will see double-digit growth annually in the coming years.
With customer verifications starting this month, Samsung plans to commercialize its 24Gbps GDDR6 DRAM in line with GPU platform launches, therein accelerating graphics innovation throughout the high-speed computing market.
JEDEC published the document that defines the Graphics Double Data Rate 6 (GDDR6) Synchronous Graphics Random Access Memory (SGRAM) specification in February 2021. The document includes features, functionality, package, and pin assignments. The organization noted, then that “the purpose of this Specification is to define the minimum set of requirements for 8 Gb through 16 Gb x16 dual channel GDDR6 SGRAM devices. System designs based on the required aspects of this standard will be supported by all GDDR6 SGRAM vendors providing compatible devices.”