Samsung Electronics has completed development of what it claims is the industry's first DDR4 DRAM module, using 30nm-class process technology.
The new DDR4 DRAM module can achieve data transfer rates of 2.133 gigabits per second (Gbps) at 1.2V, compared to 1.35V and 1.5V DDR3 DRAM at an equivalent 30nm-class process technology, with speeds of up to 1.6Gbps. When applied to a notebook, it reduces power consumption by 40% compared to a 1.5V DDR3 module.
The Samsung DDR4 makes use of a new technology dubbed "pseudo open drain (POD)," which has been adapted to high-performance graphic DRAM to allow DDR4 DRAM to consume just half the electric current of DDR3 when reading and writing data.
By employing new circuit architecture, Samsung's DDR4 will be able to run from 1.6Gbps up to 3.2Gbps, compared to today's typical speeds of 1.6Gbps for DDR3 and 800Mbps for DDR2.
Samsung revealed that in late December, it provided 1.2V 2GB DDR4 unbuffered dual in-line memory modules (UDIMM) to a controller maker for testing. The company now plans to work closely with a number of server makers to help insure completion of JEDEC standardization of DDR4 technologies in the second half of 2011.
Samsung claimed it has been leading the advancement of DRAM technology ever since it developed the industry's first DDR DRAM in 1997. In 2001, the company introduced the first DDR2 DRAM and in 2005, it announced the first DDR3 DRAM using 80nm-class technology.
Samsung 30nm DDR4 module
Photo: Company