Samsung’s Upcoming GDDR7 Memory: A Leap Forward with 37 Gbps Pin Speeds, Surpassing GDDR6X by 54%

Samsung is gearing up to introduce its latest and fastest GDDR7 memory modules next month, showcasing speeds of up to 37 Gbps tailored for next-generation GPUs. TechRadar reports that Samsung will unveil its next-gen GDDR7 memory at the 2024 IEEE International Solid-State Circuit Conference in San Francisco, during a session titled “A 16Gb 37 Gb/s GDDR7 DRAM with PAM3-Optimized TRX Equalization and ZQ Calibration.”

This session will serve as the platform for Samsung to reveal its cutting-edge memory solutions designed for the upcoming generation of GPUs.

More About Samsung GDDR7 Memory

The reported 37 Gbps DRAM speed represents a significant leap, boasting a 50%+ improvement over the current GDDR6X DRAM, which tops out at 24 Gbps. While Samsung initially planned to introduce GDDR6W with doubled capacities and 64-bit DRAM, the company is now shifting its focus towards the true next-gen standard. Although Samsung already offers GDDR6 memory with speeds of up to 24 Gbps, recent graphics card releases, such as NVIDIA’s RTX 4080 SUPER, have only reached speeds of 23.5 Gbps.

In a recent announcement, Samsung revealed that they had internally achieved speeds of up to 36 Gbps with GDDR7 memory. This indicates the company’s continuous efforts to maximize the potential of next-gen memory modules.

While it remains uncertain if these higher speeds will be readily available in sufficient quantities to meet the demand for next-gen gaming and AI GPU lineups, it is anticipated that speeds ranging from 32 to 36 Gbps will be prominent in the upcoming GPU generation. The bandwidth offered by the 37 Gbps pin speeds across various bus configurations is as follows:

• 512-bit: 2368 GB/s (2.3 TB/s)
• 384-bit: 1776 GB/s (1.7 TB/s)
• 320-bit: 1480 GB/s (1.5 TB/s)
• 256-bit: 1184 GB/s (1.2 TB/s)
• 192-bit: 888 GB/s
• 128-bit: 592 GB/s

Additionally, GDDR7 memory is expected to deliver a 20% increase in efficiency, a noteworthy improvement considering the substantial power consumption of high-end GPUs. Samsung’s GDDR7 DRAM will incorporate technology optimized for high-speed workloads, with a low-operating voltage option designed for power-conscious applications like laptops.

Addressing thermal concerns, the new memory standard will utilize an epoxy molding compound (EMC) with high thermal conductivity, reducing thermal resistance by up to 70%. Reports from August indicated that Samsung had provided samples of its GDDR7 DRAM to NVIDIA for early evaluation in the development of its next-gen gaming graphics cards.