Samsung Develops World's Fastest Graphics DRAM... Determined to Maintain No.1 Position

Steady Technology Development in Main Memory Business

Last Year Graphics DRAM Market Share 38.9% No.1
Micron 33.3%, SK Hynix 27.8%

GDDR6 (Graphics Double Data Rate 6) DRAM with industry-leading speed developed by Samsung Electronics. (Photo by Samsung Electronics)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Samsung Electronics has developed the industry's fastest graphics DRAM with a speed of 24Gbps. The graphics DRAM market is a technological battleground where the world's top three memory semiconductor companies?Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and US-based Micron?are all competing for market share.

On the 14th, Samsung Electronics announced that it has developed 24Gbps GDDR6 (Graphics Double Data Rate 6) DRAM capable of processing up to 1.1TB of data per second. Graphics DRAM is a memory semiconductor specialized in processing video and graphics by receiving commands from graphics cards in PCs, video playback devices, and high-performance gaming consoles. This speed allows downloading 275 Full HD movies in just one second. It enables seamless enjoyment of ultra-high-resolution videos such as 4K and 8K. When applied to high-performance computing (HPC), it can significantly enhance data processing performance.

The product utilizes extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment and operates over 30% faster than the existing 18Gbps GDDR6 DRAM. Samsung Electronics began supplying DRAM modules using EUV processes for the first time in the industry in March 2020. In October last year, it started mass production of DRAM with the industry's smallest line width using EUV processes, demonstrating differentiated EUV technology process know-how.

This time, Samsung developed GDDR6 DRAM in accordance with the international semiconductor standard organization JEDEC's specifications to ensure compatibility for use by AI and graphics specialized companies. It also applied Dynamic Voltage Scaling (DVS) technology, which dynamically adjusts DRAM operating voltage to control performance and power consumption. As a result, power efficiency has improved by more than 20%, which is expected to extend battery life for laptop users.

The product is expected to be applied to devices requiring excellent graphics performance such as PCs, laptops, and game consoles. It is also anticipated to be widely used in fields such as HPC, electric vehicles, and autonomous vehicles. The graphics DRAM market holds significant meaning for Samsung Electronics. According to market research firm Omdia, Samsung Electronics held a 38.9% share of the graphics DRAM market last year, ranking first worldwide. Micron held 33.3%, and SK Hynix 27.8%. These three companies are recognized as the top three memory semiconductor manufacturers.

Lee Dong-gi, Vice President of the Product Planning Team at Samsung Electronics' Memory Business Division, said, "The 24Gbps GDDR6 DRAM is scheduled to be installed in next-generation systems of major customers this month to begin verification," adding, "We will lead the next-generation graphics DRAM market." Samsung Electronics stated, "With the rise of next-generation industries such as AI, machine learning, and the metaverse, the high-performance GDDR6 market is expected to continue growing," and "Samsung Electronics will maintain its number one position in the industry with differentiated graphics DRAM solutions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.