Samsung develops 12nm-class DRAM with exceptional performance and power efficiency

Samsung Electronics has developed 16-gigabit (Gb) DDR5 DRAM built using the industry's first 12-nanometer (nm)-class process technology, which it says will advance next-generation computing, data centers and AI applications with exceptional speed and greater power efficiency.

Mass production of Samsung's 12nm-Class DDR5 DRAM will begin in 2023, the South Korean firm said in a press release on Wednesday.

"Our 12nm-range DRAM will be a key enabler in driving market-wide adoption of DDR5 DRAM. With exceptional performance and power efficiency, we expect our new DRAM to serve as the foundation for more sustainable operations in areas such as next-generation computing, data centers and AI-driven systems," said Jooyoung Lee, Executive Vice President of DRAM Product & Technology at Samsung Electronics.

#SamsungSemiconductor is set to begin mass-producing the industry’s first 12nm-Class DDR5 DRAM in 2023. Its performance and power efficiency will advance sustainability in areas like next-gen computing, data center, and AI systems. Learn more: https://t.co/SBFzGzpwZW

— Samsung Semiconductor (@SamsungDSGlobal) December 21, 2022

The new DRAM leverages a new high-κ material that increases cell capacitance and proprietary design technology which improves critical circuit characteristics. It also features the industry's highest die density, which enables a 20 percent gain in wafer productivity.

Samsung claims that its 12nm-class DRAM will help unlock speeds of up to 7.2 gigabits per second (Gbps), which translates into processing two 30 gigabyte (GB) UHD movies in just one second. The new DRAM will consume up to 23 percent less power compared to the previous DRAM, making it an ideal solution for global IT companies pursuing more environment-friendly operations.

Commenting on this development, oe Macri, Senior VP, Corporate Fellow and Client, Compute and Graphics CTO at AMD, said, "Innovation often requires close collaboration with industry partners to push the bounds of technology. We are thrilled to once again collaborate with Samsung, particularly on introducing DDR5 memory products that are optimized and validated on ‘Zen’ platforms."