Micron’s GDDR7 Chip Captures Attention, Targets Bigger Slice of HBM Market

Computex Taipei

Micron made a strong presence at Computex to showcase their latest memory products, including the announcement of their next-generation GDDR7 memory with impressive specifications and plans to capture a significant share of the high-performance memory market, while also introducing their HBM3E memory and aiming to gain a mid-20% share of the HBM market by 2025.

The announcement of Micron's next-generation GDDR7 memory, which boasts impressive specifications and is expected to hit the market later this year.
The adoption of PAM3 signal encoding and on-die ECC support in GDDR7, which improves chip reliability and performance.
Micron's ambitious plans to capture a significant share of the HBM market with its HBM3E memory, backed by their latest 1-beta fabrication process and capacity expansion roadmap.

During Computex week, Micron made a strong presence at the show to showcase its latest products in the memory space. The highlight of the event was the announcement that Micron has begun sampling its next-generation GDDR7 memory, which is expected to hit the market later this year. The company even had a live demo of the new memory technology on the show floor. Additionally, Micron is aiming to capture a significant portion of the high-performance memory market with its High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), targeting a 25% share.

The first GDDR7 chip from Micron boasts impressive specifications. It is a 16 Gb memory device with a blazing-fast 32 GT/sec (32Gbps/pin) transfer rate, surpassing the speeds of contemporary GDDR6/GDDR6X. As per JEDEC’s announcement earlier this year, GDDR7 is set to enhance both memory bandwidth and capacity. Bandwidths will start at 32 GT/sec and may potentially reach up to 48 GT/sec in the future. While the initial chips will have a capacity of 2GByte (16Gbit), the standard allows for capacities as high as 64Gbit.

One notable change with GDDR7 is the adoption of PAM3 (3-state) signal encoding, replacing the long-standing NRZ (2-state) signaling used in the industry. Micron, having already worked with PAM signaling in its bespoke GDDR6X technology, believes it has an advantage in developing GDDR7 due to its familiarity with PAM.

The transition to GDDR7 also brings changes in chip organization, with the standard 32-bit wide chip now divided into four 8-bit sub-channels. Additionally, GDDR7 incorporates on-die ECC support to ensure chip reliability. It also implements various RAS features like error checking and scrubbing, which are particularly beneficial for compute/AI applications.

With the added complexity of GDDR7, the pin count has increased to accommodate data transfer and power delivery changes. The new standard adds 86 pins, bringing the total to 266 pins. However, the package size remains the same as GDDR5/GDDR6, maintaining a familiar 14mm x 12mm package. Memory manufacturers achieve this by using smaller diameter balls and reducing the pitch between individual solder balls.

Micron is utilizing its latest 1-beta (1β) fabrication process for GDDR7 production. While specific details about the process are not publicly disclosed, Micron believes that its 1β process provides superior density and power efficiency compared to competitors.

Micron expects the first devices incorporating GDDR7 to be available later this year. While GDDR memory remains popular among video card vendors, it is worth noting that GDDR7 is anticipated to be a cost-effective option for AI accelerators, addressing their memory capacity and bandwidth limitations.

Shifting focus to HBM, Micron introduced its HBM3E memory last year and commenced volume shipments earlier this year. Currently, Micron holds a modest share in the HBM market but has ambitious plans to rapidly gain market share. By the end of calendar Q1 2025, Micron aims to capture a mid-20% share of the HBM market, similar to its overall share in the general DRAM market.

Praveen Vaidyanathan, Vice President and General Manager of the Compute Products Group at Micron, expressed confidence in their HBM3E product, citing significant interest from GPU and ASIC vendors. Micron has a roadmap for capacity expansion to meet the growing demand for HBM3E products.

In summary, Micron’s presence at Computex showcased their latest advancements in memory technology. The introduction of GDDR7 with its impressive specifications and improved performance is expected to make its way into finished products later this year. Simultaneously, Micron is determined to capture a significant share of the HBM market with its HBM3E memory. With their innovative products and expansion plans, Micron is poised to make a mark in the high-performance memory space.

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Background Information

About JEDEC:

JEDEC is the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry. It was founded in 1958 as the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council to develop standards for the microelectronics industry. The organization's headquarters is located in Arlington, Virginia, United States. JEDEC sets standards for a wide range of technologies, including semiconductors, memory devices, integrated circuits, and more. Its standards are widely adopted and utilized throughout the industry to ensure compatibility and interoperability among various electronic devices and components.

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Event Info

About Computex:

Computex, held annually in Taipei, Taiwan, stands as one of the world's leading technology trade shows, showcasing cutting-edge innovations in computing hardware, software, and emerging technologies. With a focus on industry trends and product launches, it serves as a pivotal platform for tech giants and startups alike to unveil their latest advancements and forge key partnerships, attracting a global audience of industry professionals, enthusiasts, and media representatives.

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Technology Explained

GDDR6: GDDR6 stands for Graphics Double Data Rate 6th generation memory. It is a high performance memory used in graphics cards and graphics processing units (GPUs), specifically targeting gaming, AI and deep learning-related applications. GDDR6 achieves higher bandwidth than previous generations, allowing faster and smoother gaming experience for users. It is also more power efficient, resulting in lower energy consumption overall. The improved power efficiency makes it adaptable to today's needs of thinner laptops and ultra-high definition gaming laptops. Additionally, GDDR6 is used in storage solutions and advanced data center applications to help streamline large amounts of data at lightning-fast speeds.

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GDDR7: GDDR7 (Graphics Double Data Rate 7) is the seventh generation of graphics double data rate (GDDR) memory. It is a type of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) that is specifically designed for use in graphics cards. GDDR7 memory offers a number of advantages over previous generations of GDDR memory. GDDR7 is a significant improvement over previous generations of GDDR memory. It offers faster speeds up to 32 gigabits per second (Gbps) per pin, lower power consumption, and improved error correction. This makes it ideal for use in high-performance graphics cards and other applications that require high bandwidth and low latency.

Latest Articles about GDDR7

GPU: GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit and is a specialized type of processor designed to handle graphics-intensive tasks. It is used in the computer industry to render images, videos, and 3D graphics. GPUs are used in gaming consoles, PCs, and mobile devices to provide a smooth and immersive gaming experience. They are also used in the medical field to create 3D models of organs and tissues, and in the automotive industry to create virtual prototypes of cars. GPUs are also used in the field of artificial intelligence to process large amounts of data and create complex models. GPUs are becoming increasingly important in the computer industry as they are able to process large amounts of data quickly and efficiently.

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HBM3E: HBM3E is the latest generation of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a type of DRAM that is designed for artificial intelligence (AI) applications. HBM3E offers faster data transfer rates, higher density, and lower power consumption than previous HBM versions. HBM3E is developed by SK Hynix, a South Korean chipmaker, and is expected to enter mass production in 2024. HBM3E can achieve a speed of 1.15 TB/s and a capacity of 64 GB per stack. HBM3E is suitable for AI systems that require large amounts of data processing, such as deep learning, machine learning, and computer vision.