"Process 300 FHD Movies in 1 Second"…SK Hynix to Mass-Produce 'GDDR7' in Q3

32Gbps Memory Over 60% Faster Than Previous Generation
Fastest Processing Speed Among Top 3 Memory Companies

Power Efficiency Improved by Over 50%

Utilized in AI, High-Performance Computing, Autonomous Driving, and More

SK Hynix has unveiled the next-generation graphics memory product 'GDDR7,' capable of processing data equivalent to 300 Full-HD (5GB) movies in just one second.

On the 30th, SK Hynix announced that it developed GDDR7 with an operating speed of 32Gbps (32 gigabits per second), which is over 60% faster than the previous generation, and can reach speeds up to 40Gbps depending on the usage environment. This product is equipped in the latest graphics cards, enabling data processing of more than 1.5TB (terabytes) per second, making it the fastest among GDDR7 products from the three major memory manufacturers.

The world's highest specification GDDR7 DRAM unveiled by SK Hynix.
[Photo by SK Hynix]

GDDR (Graphics Double Data Rate) is the standard specification name for graphics DRAM defined by the JEDEC Solid State Technology Association. It is a specification specialized for fast graphics processing, evolving through generations 3-5-5X-6-7. The latest generations offer faster speeds and higher power efficiency, and recently, it has gained attention as a high-performance memory widely used beyond graphics, including in artificial intelligence (AI) fields. Especially, excluding High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), it is known as the fastest existing memory and has become another battleground for memory manufacturers.

SK Hynix stated, "Global AI customers are showing great interest in GDDR, a DRAM that simultaneously satisfies specialized graphics processing performance and high speed. In response, we completed the development of the highest-performing GDDR7 in March and have now unveiled it, with plans to start mass production in the third quarter."

SK Hynix's GDDR7 achieves faster speeds while improving power efficiency by more than 50% compared to the previous generation. To accomplish this, the company introduced new packaging technology during product development to solve heat dissipation issues caused by ultra-high-speed data processing. The engineering team increased the number of heat dissipation layers in the package from four to six while maintaining the product size and applied a high thermal conductivity semiconductor circuit protector (EMC) as the packaging material. Through this, the team succeeded in reducing the product's thermal resistance by 74% compared to the previous generation.

Lee Sang-kwon, Vice President of SK Hynix (in charge of DRAM PP&E), said, "SK Hynix's GDDR7 will expand its application range from high-spec 3D graphics to AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and autonomous driving. Based on outstanding technological competitiveness, we will further strengthen our premium memory lineup and solidify our position as the most trusted AI memory solution company among customers."

Meanwhile, from the end of the year, competition among the three major memory manufacturers for GDDR to secure key customers such as Nvidia and AMD is expected to intensify. Samsung Electronics, which developed GDDR7 first in the industry, will also begin mass production in the second half of the year. Initially planned for the first half of this year, the schedule was delayed due to coordination with customers. Micron also completed GDDR7 development last year and is preparing for mass production within the year.

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