SK Hynix has first ddr5 memory chip ready

SK Hynix has developed dram memory chips based on the ddr5 standard of the JEDEC organization. It is a 16Gb chip that is more economical and faster than comparable DDR4 variants. Mass production will start in 2020.

SK Hynix’s ddr5 memory operates at 1.1V, compared to 1.2V for ddr4. The throughput is 5200MT/s, significantly faster than the 3200MT/s supported by ddr4 according to the JEDEC standard. SK Hynix produces the memory on its 1Ynm process, an improvement of its 10nm-class process, which is around 14, 15 or 16nm.

The Korean chip maker has delivered the first ddr5 rdimms for servers and udimms for PCs, among others, to an undisclosed chipset maker, with support for up to 32 memory banks. With ddr4 the maximum is 16. It is expected that manufacturers will make ddr5 chips of 8Gb, 16Gb and 32Gb and that the throughput speeds will be a minimum of 3200 and a maximum of 6400MT/s.

In addition to SK Hynix, Micron also expects to start mass production in 2020. JEDEC was supposed to finalize the specification last summer, but in any case the public announcement is still pending.