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Samsung says its latest mobile memory is a production breakthrough
It reportedly clears a barrier in making more advanced phone RAM.
Samsung is fond of bragging about its progress on memory chips, but this is one time where it made a particularly notable breakthrough. The Korean firm has started mass production of 16-gigabit LPDDR5 mobile RAM chips that are billed as the first memory ever to be made using extreme ultraviolet lithography, which uses lasers and light-sensitive chemicals to etch silicon. Aside from giving Samsung an edge over rivals, it reportedly clears a “major developmental hurdle” in scaling RAM — this could offer much more room for the industry to grow.
This also translates to some immediate real-world gains, as you might expect. The 6.4Gbps of bandwidth is about 16 percent faster than the 12-gigabit chips seen before, while a 16GB package of chips is about 30 percent thinner. That could lead to slimmer phones or space for components like batteries and cameras.
Samsung is pitching this new memory as ideal for flagship-class smartphones, including those from rivals. There’s a real possibility your next phone will have considerably more headroom for simultaneous apps and demanding tasks. However, Samsung also hopes to bring LPDDR5 to more in-car tech. If your next vehicle has a faster, more powerful infotainment system, you might know why.
