Fastest graphics memory ever launched, but still lags behind HBM — SK Hynix GDDR7 RAM surpasses 1.5Tbps, could find its way into more affordable AI GPU cards
South Korean memory giant (and Samsung arch-rival) SK Hynix has announced the arrival of what the company calls “the industry’s best GDDR7 graphics memory,” promising a big boost in performance.
First developed in March 2024, this new DRAM product is designed to meet the growing demand for high-speed, specialized memory in the AI sector. The company says it plans to begin volume production in the third quarter of 2024.
The GDDR7 memory has an operating speed of 32Gbps, which is a 60% improvement over its predecessor. Depending on usage, speeds can reach up to 40Gbps. This new memory chip can process more than 1.5Tbps – equivalent to 300 Full HD movies (5GB each) – when used in high-end graphics cards.
More efficient
SK Hynix says energy efficiency has been improved by more than 50% over the previous generation thanks to advanced packaging technology that addresses the heat issues associated with ultra-fast data processing.
The company has increased the number of heat-dissipating substrate layers from four to six and introduced Epoxy Molding Compound (EMC) for packaging, reducing thermal resistance by 74% while maintaining product size.
Sangkwon Lee, Head of DRAM Product Planning and Enablement at SK Hynix, emphasized that GDDR7 is expected to find applications in high-spec 3D graphics, AI, high-performance computing and autonomous driving. “We will continue to enhance our position as the most trusted AI memory solution provider by further strengthening the premium memory line,” he said.
If The Korean Economic Daily notes, SK Hynix has big competition in this area. In July 2023, Samsung announced that it had developed the industry’s first GDDR7 chip and was in the process of verifying its products on customer systems, while Micron also created its version of the GDDR7 chip last year and is now preparing for mass production.
