SK Hynix to mass produce LPDDR6 memory this year
SK Hynix is getting ready to start LPDDR6 mass production
SK Hynix is reportedly preparing to start mass-producing LPDDR6 memory this year, with the South Korean Herald reporting that Xiaomi will be its first major customer. With LPDDR6, SK Hynix aims to deliver higher data processing speeds and greater power efficiency using its 1c process technology.
In time, all major LPDDR-based memory products will transition to LPDDR6 memory. AMD has confirmed that its Zen 7 EPYC processors will support next-generation LPDDR memory. That means that LPDDR6 SOCAMM memory modules need to be readily available in 2028.
Until recently, LPDDR (low power DDR) memory was focused on mobile products. This includes smartphones, laptops, and handheld gaming devices. With the growth of AI and the industry’s demand for low-power, high-bandwidth memory, LPDDR memory has become a popular option for AI servers with LPDDR SOCAMM memory modules. With LPDDR6, JEDEC wants 512GB LPDDR6 SOCAMM modules to become available.
According to industry sources on the 28th, SK Hynix will begin full-scale mass production of LPDDR6 in the second half of this year. Xiaomi is expected to be the first customer. It is scheduled to be installed in Xiaomi’s next-generation flagship mobile phone.
– Herald – Translated
While demand for current memory types has exploded, memory manufacturers need to be ready for what’s next. New products are already being developed with LPDDR6 and DDR6 memory in mind. As such, memory manufacturers need to be ready to transition to new memory types. That said, dedicating new production capacity to a new memory type during a major shortage of existing memory types is a controversial move. While moving to LPDDR6 is ultimately necessary, it does nothing to alleviate today’s memory shortages.
As exciting as faster memory chips are, it is undeniable that most technology enthusiasts would prefer increased memory availability over having newer/faster chips. While SK Hynix is undoubtedly working on both of these issues, it’s hard to be excited about memory technology when the chips themselves have become practically unaffordable.
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