Smartphones with 4GB of RAM coming as Samsung starts making new memory chips

Samsung has started the mass production of the industry’s first 8 gigabit (Gb) double data rate 4 (LPDDR4) DRAM modules, specifically designed for mobile applications. Until now, mobile devices have used 4 gigabit LPDDR3 memory. But now Samsung has started to make 8 gigabit memory using its new leading-edge 20-nanometer (nm) process technology.

If gigabits, DDR4 and the latest 20 nanometer manufacturing processes, aren’t familiar to you, don’t worry. What it all means is that Samsung is now producing memory modules that are twice as dense as the current memory chips, use less power, and are faster.

By using DDR4 Samsung has produced memory which is even faster than the current DRAM used in PCs and servers, and yet consumes much less energy. The new 20nm 8Gb LPDDR4 offers twice the performance and density compared to 4Gb LPDDR3. This means that Samsung is able to make 4 gigabyte (GB) LPDDR4 packages suitable for smartphones and tablets.

DDR4 can be accessed twice as fast as DDR3 memory. But this is just about the specifications, this new memory will be important for the next generation of mobile devices. DDR4 has an read and write data rate of up to 3,200 megabits per second (Mbps), which is important for UHD video recording/playback, as well as continuous shooting of high-resolution images at  over 20 megapixels.

Also LPDDR4 mobile memory chips operate at a lower voltage than LPDDR3. This makes the new memory more battery friendly. For example, a 2GB memory module using 8Gb LPDDR4 tech, can save up to 40 percent of power compared to a similar 2GB memory module using 4Gb LPDDR3-based tech.

Samsung is already making 2GB LPDDR4 and 3GB LPDDR4 DRAM memory chips using 8Gb and 6Gb LPDDR4 dies. It will start manufacturing 4GB LPDDR4 packages in early 2015. As you can imagine this new technology won’t only benefit mobiles.

Samsung expects to rapidly increase its production volume and has already started to make 8Gb DDR4 DRAM for servers. “As this major advancement in mobile memory demonstrates, we will continue to closely collaborate with global mobile device manufacturers to optimize DRAM solutions, making them suitable for next-generation mobile OS environments,” added Joo Sun Choi, Executive Vice President of Memory Sales and Marketing at Samsung Electronics.