DDR5 on Chinese chips breaks to the market – they are slightly inferior to SK Hynix and Samsung chips, but are cheaper

The Chinese memory manufacturer Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT) recently established mass production of DDR5 chips. Now their architecture was studied by Techinsights experts: according to analysts, Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron are ahead of Chinese by three years. Nevertheless, manufacturers of components are already preparing for the spread of this memory – MSI has released the BIOS update for motherboards addressed to Chinese consumers optimized for the CXMT memory.

Image source: cxmt.com

To study, Techinsights experts chose Gloway production from two planks of 16 GB DDR5-6000 UDIMM (VGM5UC60C36AG-DVDYBN) on 16-gigabit chips CXMT. The chip has dimensions of 8.19 × 8.18 mm, which gives an area of ​​66.99 mm² and a density of 0.239 Gbit/mm²; The crystal is sealed. The crystal is made using the new CXMT G4 technology, which provides for the size of the 16 Nm element and a cell with an area of ​​0.002 μm μm – its size decreased by 20 % compared with the solution based on the previous G3 (18 nm) technology. The step step of the cell is 29.8, 41.7 and 47.9 nm for the active line, as well as the Wordline and Bitline lines – the D1Z (15.8–16.2 ​​nm) generation performed by Samsung, SK Hynix and the same indicators. Micron. The output of suitable products in CXMT is 80 %, which is a very high indicator.

Hereinafter, the source of images: Techinsights.com

Earlier, CXMT issued DRAM using its own G1 technologies (D2Y, 23.8 Nm) and G2 (D1x, 18.0 Nm). Market leaders represented by Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron are now switching to 12-14 Nm technology using super-set ultraviolet radiation (EUV), which is inaccessible to Chinese manufacturers due to American sanctions. Washington forbade CXMT to use equipment with American technologies and supply its products in the United States. Samsung, for comparison, reduced the size of the crystal to 6.46 × 7.57 mm, which corresponds to an area of ​​48.90 mm² and means an advantage by 40 % before CXMT. This did not prevent the Chinese manufacturer from catching up the world leaders in the density of the chips and act as a full -fledged competitor, offering smaller price tags. Now its assortment includes DDR3L chips (2 and 4 Gbit), DDR4 (4 and 8 Gbit), LPDDR4X (6 and 8 Gbit), LPDDR5 (12 Gbit), and now DDR5 (16 Gbit).

The CXMT DDR5 chips have already been released in memory modules from Gloway and KingBank-they are cheaper than analogues on SK Hynix chips, although they offer higher taims CL36-36-36-80 and CL36-40-40-96. Chinese RAM is completely compatible with modern platforms. MSI, in particular, released the Mag B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi, Mag B860M Mortar Wi-Fi and Pro B860M-A Wi-Fi at the price of 1699 yuan ($ 235), 1499 yuan ($ 180) and $ 180 ($ 180) and 1299 yuan ), and the last BIOS update for them provides for optimization for the CXMT DDR5 chips, the Tom’s Hardware resource drew attention.

Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron produced chips using 16 Nm technology in 2021, and today they switched to D1A/D1B/D1β with elements of 12-14 nm. This indicates a three -year technological break between market leaders and CXMT, but the Chinese manufacturer is actively moving forward: he missed the technology of 17 Nm (D1Y), from 18 Nm immediately moved to 16 nm (D1z) and is now actively working on the next generation technology – less than 15 NM and without EUV-lithography; Memory of the HBM type is also mastered.