SAMSUNG

Brand unleashes a roomy DDR4 256GB RAM

The DDR4 RAM standard sold us the idea that it would enable the possibility of creating memory modules with higher density. And today, Samsung is here to try to make good on that promise. The Korean manufacturer this week listed its 16 gigabit (Gb)-based portfolio of memory products with DDR4 memory modules up to 256GB in capacity.
To say Samsung has a little bit of something for everybody is an understatement. The company currently offers a variety of DDR4 products in the form of unbuffered DIMM (UDIMM), small outline DIMM (SODIMM), registered DIMM (RDIMM), load reduced DIMM (LRDIMM) and error correction code (ECC) UDIMM. The latest additions to the existing lineup utilize the company's 16Gb memory chips, which it produces under its own 10-nanometer manufacturing process.
On the consumer side, Samsung now offers 32GB unbuffered DDR4 memory modules. The module (M378A4G43MB1-CTD) clocks in at 2,666MHz with a CAS latency of 19 and an operating voltage of 1.2V, as specified by JEDEC. Technically, AMD's Ryzen Threadripper processors can support up to 2TB of memory. Therefore, it should be possible to run 256GB on the Threadripper platform. Unfortunately, X399 motherboards are only certified to support up to 128GB. However, the 32GB module should open the door for future motherboards with four DDR4 memory slots to house up to 128GB of memory.
Laptop users shouldn't feel left out either. Samsung also has a SODIMM variant (M471A4G43MB1-CTD) of its 32GB module with identical specifications. Mobile powerhouses such as Lenovo's ThinkPad P52 or Eurocom's Sky C line will certainly benefit from Samsung's 32GB SODIMM module.
Things get extremely interesting for Samsung's enterprise clients. The 16Gb memory chips have allowed the NAND maker to raise the capacity bar up to 256GB. No, you didn't read that wrong; we're talking about 256GB of memory on a single stick. The module is available in LRDIMM (M386ABG40M50-CYF) and RDIMM (M393ABG40M52-CYF) formats. It operates at 2,933MHz and has a CAS latency of 21 or 24 depending on the model. Despite the huge capacity and frequency, the module's operating voltage adheres to the official JEDEC specification of 1.2V.
Although Samsung's 256GB module is clearly aimed at servers, it's likely just a matter of time before this capacity makes its way to the consumer end.



Lucian Armasu