The era of LPDDR 6 is here! The AI demand is so strong that the next-generation DRAM will enter the market faster than expected.

The next-generation low-power DRAM (LPDDR6) is entering the market at an unexpectedly rapid pace. Driven by the soaring demand for high-performance and high-efficiency DRAM in servers and AI applications, the commercialization process of this new standard is accelerating.

Several leading semiconductor design companies are currently discussing simultaneous adoption of LPDDR5X and LPDDR6 IP (design assets). Mobile application processor (AP) designers such as Samsung Electronics and Qualcomm also plan to support LPDDR6 starting with their next-generation products.

The core driving force behind this shift is the explosive growth of AI applications. Whether it’s smartphones equipped with edge AI or AI data centers that need to process massive amounts of data continuously, there are higher and higher requirements for DRAM performance. Global tech giants like NVIDIA are also actively promoting the procurement of LPDDR products.

According to industry insiders cited by Zdnet, currently more than half of high-performance semiconductor design companies are considering parallel deployment of LPDDR5X and LPDDR6 IP, especially in chips designed with advanced processes of 4 nanometers or below, with demand emerging faster than expected.

AI applications are fueling a surge in demand

The biggest driver accelerating the adoption of LPDDR6 is AI. As a traditional main application area of LPDDR, smartphones are increasingly demanding higher-performance LPDDR products as edge AI becomes more prevalent.

Therefore, mobile AP developers like Samsung Electronics and Qualcomm plan to incorporate LPDDR6 IP in their next-generation chips.

Meanwhile, the rise of AI data centers that require continuous processing of vast amounts of data is also causing a sharp increase in demand for high-performance LPDDR in the server sector. Global tech giants such as NVIDIA are actively advancing LPDDR product supply.

Performance increased by 1.5 times, commercialization possible as early as the second half of this year

The performance specifications of LPDDR6 have significantly surpassed those of the previous generation. This generation’s bandwidth can reach 10.6Gbps to 14.4Gbps, compared to 8.5Gbps to a maximum of 10.7Gbps for LPDDR5X, representing approximately a 1.5-fold performance increase.

Although the basic standards have been established, full commercialization of LPDDR6 still requires preparation time. Physical layer (PHY), controllers, interface IP, and other supporting infrastructure are not yet fully ready, and it is expected that commercial use may not occur until the second half of this year at the earliest.

Currently, LPDDR6 can practically achieve around 12.8Gbps, with potential performance improvements to 14.4Gbps next year. To this end, major domestic and international companies are actively advancing IP development.

Leading adoption in advanced process chips

LPDDR is a DRAM standard that emphasizes energy efficiency more than general DDR. The 7th generation LPDDR5X has already been commercialized, and LPDDR6, as the next-generation standard, was finalized in July last year.

Although supporting infrastructure is not yet fully mature, a considerable number of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) semiconductor design companies are already pushing forward with LPDDR6 adoption plans. Their strategy is to first deploy LPDDR5X, then upgrade performance once LPDDR6 reaches large-scale mass production.

According to industry insiders cited by Zdnet, currently more than half of high-performance semiconductor design companies are considering parallel deployment of LPDDR5X and LPDDR6 IP. Especially among design companies using advanced processes of 4 nanometers or below, demand is emerging faster than expected.

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