Next-Gen LPDDR6 RAM Standard To Be Finalized Later This Year

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The specifications for next-gen Low-Power RAM, referred to as LPDDR6, are being finalized. Although the final standard for LPDDR6 should be announced later this year, the focus would be on further reducing power consumption and ensuring better data performance.

The JEDEC Solid State Technology Association has indicated it would announce the final specifications of the LPDDR6 RAM in the third quarter of this year. LPDDR6 succeeds the LPDDR5, LPDDR5X, and LPDDR5T RAM standards, commonly found in high-end laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

What Is LPDDR6 RAM?

The International Semiconductor Standards Organization (JEDEC) recently held discussions on next-generation mobile RAM standards in Lisbon, Portugal. The organization listened to more than 60 veterans from memory, system semiconductor, and Intellectual Property (IP) companies.

JEDEC is yet to announce the final specifications of the LPDDR6 standard. However, the organization did reportedly announce:

“We have held various discussions to confirm the LPDDR6 standard specification. (The standard specification) will be released in the third quarter of this year.”

The last formal LPDDR RAM standard, the LPDDR5, was announced five years ago. A significant leap over the LPDDR4 standard, RAM based on the LPDDR5 had a 50% performance boost, while boasting about 30% improved power efficiency.

While LPDDR4 RAM is capable of hitting 3.7Gbps speeds, the LPDDR5-based RAM can theoretically go up to 6.4Gbps. The LPDDR5X RAM from Samsung boasts of peak speed of about 8.5Gbps.

Although JEDEC hasn’t officially commented on the top speed, a post on AnandTech claims RAM based on the upcoming standard would cross the 10Gbps barrier. Some premium variants might even touch 13Gbps.

What Are The Advantages And When To Expect LPDDR6 RAM?

As the name suggests, LPDDR is meant for smart devices where each milliwatt of power is critical. In other words, power optimization is as important as raw performance.

As with any latest and greatest tech, the LPDDR6 RAM could be discovered inside upcoming flagship Snapdragon and MediaTek chipsets, expected to be announced next year. Some reports suggest the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 could be the first SoC (System on a Chip) to pack LPDDR6 RAM. The upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC is tipped to arrive in October this year. Hence, it might not pack RAM that’s based on a still-to-be-finalized standard.

After smartphones, “Ultra-Book” laptops from Samsung, ASUS, and Lenovo would feature LPDDR6-based RAM. In terms of RAM capacity, smartphones and tablets could boast anywhere from 16GB to 32GB of LPDDR6 RAM.

The biggest advantage of LPDDR6 RAM, besides improved speed and better power management, would be its ability to support on-device AI. Large-scale AI calculations, executed locally on smartphones, laptops, and tablet PCs, have been a long-standing demand. LPDDR6 could finally fulfill the same.

Needless to conclude, market leaders in RAM manufacturing such as Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron would be waiting impatiently. However, consumers shouldn’t expect smartphones, tablets, and laptops with LPDDR6 RAM to arrive in 2025. That being said, the LPDDR5 standard is yet to trickle down to mid-range devices, let alone budget smartphones or laptops.



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