In the era of RAM’s ongoing evolution, the mainstream community has already adopted DDR5. Now, several people are waiting for the release of the next-generation DDR6 RAM to see what it will bring.
This new RAM has faster speeds. In addition, it uses MSAP technologies. Let’s go through the article to learn when DDR6 RAM will be released, its features, and more details about it.
What Do You Think About DDR?
DDR stands for Double Data Rate. This is a type of synchronous dynamic random access memory. This random access memory was introduced in the late 1990s. From then, it has been used in servers, computers, etc. The ability of DDR memory can transfer data on the clock signal’s rising and falling edges. Compared to the traditional synchronous dynamic RAM, the data sharing rate of DDR memory is two times faster. Let’s learn when DDR6 RAM will be released.
Does DDR6 RAM Have A Release Date?
Samsung is a major and well-known producer of memory modules. This company has announced that they are currently working on finalizing the DDR6 memory standard with the JEDEC members from the DRAM circle as well as SoC manufacturers. As per the manufacturer, it can be expected in 2024, but not later than 2025. It is assumed that DDR6 memory will debut in the professional enterprise segment. This new memory can be used for the 1st time with the server CPUs of the 2025 vintage.
What Can We Expect From DDR6 RAM?
Let’s check what kind of performance you can expect from the DDR6 RAM.
DDR6 RAM Speeds:
The first thing you need to know is that you should not confuse the speed of DDR RAM with capacity or frequency. Its speed depends on the data rate. In other words, we can say that it is how the memory is capable of storing and retrieving data quickly. Your software is able to access this more quickly when the RAM speed is higher.
DDR6 RAM is expected to offer up to 12,800 Mbps data transfer speeds on JEDEC modules. When it comes to overclocked modules, this RAM can provide 17,000Mbps. Compared to the data transfer speed of DDR5, the speed of DDR6 is two times faster. On the other hand, the data transfer rate of DDR6 is four times quicker than DDR4. Additionally, it is going to be equipped with four memory channels in every module, whereas the number of memory channels in DDR5 modules is two.
DDR6 RAM MSAP Technology:
As per the Samsung DDR6 announcement, the MSAP technology will be included in DDR6 RAM modules. The full form of MSAP term is Modified Semi Additive Process. It is already used in a few DDR5 RAM brands. With the help of this technology, manufacturers can generate modules with finer circuits. These circuits coat empty spaces in order to enable faster speeds. As a result, you can transfer data from one circuit to another quickly. Also, you will experience improved connectivity.
Performance Of DDR6 RAM:
Compared to DDR5, you will see a significant improvement in performance. Factors which affect the improvement include reduced latency, increased clock speeds, and improved data bus width.
You can expect to see the data bus width becoming doubled (from 64 bits to 128 bits). It indicates that this next generation RAM will be able to transfer data per clock cycle twice as much as DDR5 does.
Besides, you can expect the DDR6 latency to be reduced. But you may want to know what latency is. It indicates the time that a memory controller needs to access data in memory. If the latency is low, you can access data more quickly and get improved performance.
Power Consumption Of DR6 RAM:
This next-generation RAM would consume less power than DDR5, because of a few factors, like the use of new power management techniques and more efficient memory chips. DVFS, or dynamic voltage and frequency scaling, is the new power management technique that can be used in this generation of RAM. With the help of this technique, the memory controller can adjust the memory chip’s (that depends on the workload) frequency and voltage. Thus, power consumption can be reduced when you aren’t using the memory.
DDR6 memory chips will also be more efficient than the memory chips of DDR5 because of some factors, like the use of new materials and new manufacturing processes.
Capacity:
DDR6 will be compatible with higher-capacity memory because of the use of higher-density memory chips and new memory packaging technology. It is expected that the DDR6 memory modules can come with up to 256 GB capacities.
New Features:
DDR6 will bring several new features, including ECC or on-die error correction code and read and write CRC modes. The availability of these features will improve the reliability as well as integrity with data which are stored in DDR6 memory modules.
On-die ECC is a type of ECC implemented on the memory chip. Compared to traditional ECC, on-die ECC is more efficient. Additionally, it is capable of detecting and correcting more errors than traditional ECC.
The read and write CRC modes are used in order to check the integrity of data that is being read from memory and written to it. Once any error is detected, CRC mode is capable of correcting it automatically.
How Much Will DDR6 RAM Cost?
Nowadays, guessing the cost of new computer components has become difficult. In 2021, DDR5 was widely available. During the time, around $320 was the average price for 32GB. But its price was reduced to less than $150 in April 2023.
According to the old price of DDR6, you can expect the price for 32GB RAM to be more than $300 when it will arrive in stores.
DDR6 Is the Future:
As the technology is continuously evolving, we are witnessing advancements in memory solutions. Over the years, from the early days of Dynamic Random Access Memory to the sophisticated solutions of the present time, continuous improvement in memory technology has been seen. Every generation of RAM offers enhanced performance. As we are approaching another significant milestone, DDR6 RAM is promising to redefine computing. When this new memory will arrive, it is expected that users will experience double speed compared to the current standard.
This new RAM is designed to maintain compatibility with those memory technologies and standards that already exist, which ensures a smoother transition for businesses as well as consumers upgrading their systems. Moreover, DDR6 will be scalable. As a result, it will have the capabilities to meet the evolving needs of different computing environments.
The Bottom Line:
The next generation of memory technology is DDR6 RAM, which will bring several benefits over DDR5. For instance, it will come with lower power consumption, improved performance, and greater capacity. It is expected that the spec of new DDR6 memory will be finalized in Q2 2025. After its release, it is expected that this next-generation memory technology will become the standard memory for top-quality servers as well as several high-end computers.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Is there DDR6 RAM yet?
It is expected that the initial draft will be ready in 2024. Following this, it can be assumed that the projection of the specification may be completed by Q2 2025. All processors are limited in some way by the memory speed. So, the DRAM manufacturers are trying to push ahead with the development of DDR6 RAM, which is the next generation after DDR5.
- Is GDDR6 better than DDR5?
Yes. You should know that GDDR6 is not as fast as HBM2e. But, GDDR6 and HBM can outperform DDR5 by ten times. GDDR6 is compatible with two independent 16-bit channels in every bank. A card with 8 GDDR6 banks will have bandwidth of up to 448 GB per second.
- Is DDR5 overkill for gaming?
As DDR5 has a higher transfer speed, it assists in improving the frame rate. Besides, this RAM helps to boost the entire PC’s performance. Usually, a DDR5 kit around the 5200MT/s range is going to be enough. However, to enhance the frame rate of your game, you should go with a 6000 MT/s or even 6400 MT/s kit.
