The development of the next-gen DDR6 memory standard has picked up the pace as various module & motherboard makers are actively working on their solutions.
DDR6 Memory Is Still At Least 2-3 Years Away from Mainstream Platforms But Motherboard & Module Makers Are Already Deep Into Evaluation of New Designs Including CAMM2 With Speeds of Up To 17,600 MT/s
JEDEC finalized the specifications for DDR6 memory in 2024, and so far, we have seen various memory manufacturers developing the next-generation standard. Although the memory will not be available on mainstream platforms for a few years, CTEE reports that the growing demand with in the HPC space has led DRAM makers to accelerate the development process of the new standard.
As per the report, all major vendors including Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix, are speeding up their work on DDR6 memory. With the current pace, the platform testing and verification process will be finished by 2026, and the first application of DDR6 will begin in 2027 when next-gen servers hit the market. It is said that AMD, Intel, and even NVIDIA, are working with DRAM makers to get DDR6 out as early as possible.
In terms of what to expect from DDR6 memory, the new standard will have a base transfer rate of 8800 MT/s, an 83% increase over DDR5's 4800 MT/s base speed. 8800 MT/s is already considered really fast for DDR5 memory so starting right there will be a huge deal. As for the top speeds, DDR6 memory will be able to hit up to 17,600 MT/s speeds, a good 70-80% uplift versus today's top-rated DDR5 modules. The DDR6 generation will also see a new architecture design, moving to a 4x24-bit channel versus the 2x32-bit channel for DDR5.
DDR & LPDDR Memory Standards Progression
| Memory Name | Speeds (MT/s) | Year |
|---|---|---|
| DDR6 | 8800-17600 | 2027? |
| DDR5 | 4000-8400 | 2020 |
| DDR4 | 1600-3200 | 2014 |
| LPDDR6 | 14400 | 2026? |
| LPDDR5T | 9600 | 2023 |
| LPDDR5X | 8533 | 2021 |
| LPDDR5 | 6400 | 2019 |
| LPDD4X | 4267 | 2017 |
| LPDDR4 | 3200 | 2014 |
Now as far as adoption goes, HPC and AI will be the first market as mentioned above. These platforms will stick close to the JEDEC specs, and it will be sometime before DDR6 memory hits its full potential. DDR5 memory has been out since 2021 but only now have we started to see speeds going beyond 8000-9000 MT/s.
Another interesting thing mentioned is that DDR6 memory will require a new slot design to retain signal quality, and ensure high-bandwidth in a high-density/low-impedance design. For this purpose. CAMM2 is being seen as the game-changer. CAMM2's adoption has been slow, both in server and consumer space, but with DDR6, we might finally see the new form factor gain more traction.
It is also stated that certain high-end notebooks might utilize DDR6 solutions, and would be based on next-gen CPUs from Intel and AMD. This hints a consumer-centric product but it might as well be related to LPDDR6 since mobile CPUs make sense with low-power memory solutions.
It took DDR5 memory a couple of years, and a proper/optimized ecosystem to see mass adoption so the same should be expected for DDR6. Sure the higher speeds will captivate enthusiasts but mainstream success is only seen if there's mass adoption from the consumer space. And just like DDR5, DDR6 will be priced quite high in the first few years.
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