Samsung is developing new LLW DRAM

As the surge in artificial intelligence (AI) related hardware and software continues, Samsung is introducing a suite of storage solutions tailored to specific application needs in response to the burgeoning market. This includes products like DDR5, HBM-type memory, and CXL memory modules, all designed to power a variety of AI technologies.

Recently, Samsung officially detailed the development and technical applications of its storage products. One key highlight is the development of a new type of memory called “Low Latency Wide I/O (LLW) DRAM,” which amalgamates high bandwidth, low latency, and low power consumption. Samsung is positioning this innovative memory technology for devices that require the operation of large language models (LLMs), and it may also find applications in various client-side workloads in the future.

LLW DRAM, characterized as a low-power memory option, offers wide I/O and low latency, with each module/stack providing 128GB/s of bandwidth, equivalent to a 128-bit DDR5-8000 memory subsystem. Another significant feature of LLW DRAM is its ultra-low power consumption of 1.2pJ/bit, although Samsung has not disclosed the specific data transfer rate at this power level.

Despite the lack of extensive details about LLW DRAM, Samsung has been exploring wide interface memory technology, such as GDDR6W, for some time. It is understood that LLW DRAM’s design may draw inspiration from GDDR6W and incorporate Fan-Out Wafer-Level Packaging (FOWLP) technology to integrate multiple DRAMs into a single package.

Given that Samsung has revealed the expected performance details of this technology, based on past experiences, it is highly likely that LLW DRAM is nearing the end of its development phase.