Samsung Begins Mass Production of Industry’s First 16GB LPDDR5 DRAM for Next-Generation Premium Smartphones

Based on Samsung’s 2^nd-generation 10nm-class process technology, the 16GB LPDDR5 mobile DRAM package delivers industry’s highest performance and largest capacity

SEOUL, South Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has begun mass producing the industry’s first 16-gigabyte (GB) LPDDR5 mobile DRAM package for next-generation premium smartphones. Following mass production of the industry-first 12GB LPDDR5 in July, 2019, the new 16GB advancement will lead the premium mobile memory market with added capacity that enables enhanced 5G and AI features including graphic-rich gaming and smart photography.

“Samsung has been committed to bringing memory technologies to the cutting edge in allowing consumers to enjoy amazing experiences through their mobile devices. We are excited to stay true to that commitment with our new, top-of-the-line mobile solution for global device manufacturers,” said Cheol Choi, senior vice president of memory sales & marketing, Samsung Electronics. “With the introduction of a new product lineup based on our next-generation process technology later this year, Samsung will be able to fully address future memory demands from global customers.”

Data transfer rate for the 16GB LPDDR5 comes in at 5,500 megabits per second (Mb/s), approximately 1.3 times faster than the previous mobile memory (LPDDR4X, 4266Mb/s). Compared to an 8GB LPDDR4X package, the new mobile DRAM delivers more than 20-percent energy savings while providing up to twice the capacity.

Samsung’s 16GB LPDDR5 mobile DRAM package consists of eight 12-gigabit (Gb) chips and four 8Gb chips, equipping premium smartphones with twice the DRAM capacity found in many higher-end laptops and gaming PCs today. Along with the blazing-fast performance, the industry’s largest capacity supports dynamic and responsive game play as well as ultra-high-resolution graphics on premium smartphones for highly immersive mobile gaming experiences.

As Samsung continues to expand LPDDR5 mobile DRAM production at its Pyeongtaek site, the company plans to mass-produce 16Gb LPDDR5 products based on third-generation 10nm-class (1z) process technology in the second half of this year, in line with the development of a 6,400Mb/s chipset. Such relentless innovation is expected to well-position Samsung to further solidify its competitive edge in markets such as premium mobile devices, high-end PCs and automotive applications.

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[Reference] Samsung Mobile DRAM Timeline: Production/Mass Prod.

Date	Capacity	Mobile DRAM
Dec. 2019	16GB	10nm-class 12Gb+8Gb LPDDR5, 5500Mb/s
Sept. 2019	12GB (uMCP)	10nm-class 24Gb LPDDR4X, 4266Mb/s
July 2019	12GB	10nm-class 12Gb LPDDR5, 5500Mb/s
June 2019	6GB	10nm-class 12Gb LPDDR5, 5500Mb/s
Feb. 2019	12GB	10nm-class 16Gb LPDDR4X, 4266Mb/s
July 2018	8GB	10nm-class 16Gb LPDDR4X, 4266Mb/s
April 2018	8GB (development)	10nm-class 8Gb LPDDR5, 6400Mb/s
Sept. 2016	8GB	10nm-class 16Gb LPDDR4X, 4266Mb/s
Aug. 2015	6GB	20nm 12Gb LPDDR4, 4266Mb/s
Dec. 2014	4GB	20nm 8Gb LPDDR4, 3200Mb/s
Sept. 2014	3GB	20nm 6Gb LPDDR3, 2133Mb/s
Nov. 2013	3GB	20nm-class 6Gb LPDDR3, 2133Mb/s
July 2013	3GB	20nm-class 4Gb LPDDR3, 2133Mb/s
April 2013	2GB	20nm-class 4Gb LPDDR3, 2133Mb/s
Aug. 2012	2GB	30nm-class 4Gb LPDDR3, 1600Mb/s
2011	1/2GB	30nm-class 4Gb LPDDR2, 1066Mb/s
2010	512MB	40nm-class 2Gb MDDR, 400Mb/s
2009	256MB	50nm-class 1Gb MDDR, 400Mb/s

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com.