DESIGN TOOLS
Loading...

Suggested Search

    Recent Search

    MEMORY

    LPDDR5X: Micron low-power mobile DRAM offers high performance and improved power efficiency for AI experiences

    Ross Dermott | April 2024

    When it comes to enabling generative artificial intelligence (AI) experiences at the edge, the high-performance and low-power mobile memory inside of your device is critical. At Micron, we have a track record for delivering the world’s highest bandwidth and lowest power memory to global smartphone manufacturers and chipset vendors to design into the world’s leading smartphones.

    We have again pushed the boundaries further with an improved 9.6 Gbps LPDDR5X memory solution, which we are currently sampling to the mobile ecosystem. Benefits include sustained high-bandwidth capabilities for AI-intensive applications and further improved power efficiency. When it comes to battery life, every minute that the end user gains is a win. For our latest 9.6 Gbps memory solution, we deliver an additional 4% power savings compared to our previous generation, which was already delivering best-in-class power.1 To put this power savings into perspective, a leading flagship smartphone vendor claims to deliver 23 hours of video playback. If every component in a handset reduced power by 4%, end users would gain an additional hour of video playback, bringing the total playback potential to 24 hours.2 That would be the equivalent of enjoying two more episodes of your favorite streaming show before needing to connect your device to power.
     

    End users demand power-efficient smartphones
     

    Based on consumer research, smartphone battery life is the top pain point for end users and is a critical area for improvement among smartphone manufacturers. In fact, 71% of smartphone users stated that battery life is the most important feature they consider when purchasing a new phone. Battery life easily outpaces other key features such as durability of the device (61%), camera quality (48%) and 5G connection (24%).

     

    Micron leads in LPDDR5X innovation

     

    Our first-to-market 1ß (1-beta) process node has advanced power-saving capabilities that utilize enhanced dynamic voltage and frequency scaling core (eDVFSC) techniques and second-generation high-k metal gate (HKMG) technology to unlock unprecedented power savings. This advanced technology delivers significant power improvements and the flexibility to deliver workload-customized power and performance. In addition to power savings, the 1β process node provides over 12% higher peak bandwidth.3 These power and bandwidth improvements accelerate efficient and effective AI experiences at the edge.

    1ß: The world's most advanced DRAM

    High bandwidth, power efficient mobile memory for flagship smartphones

    Key Features:

    • Advanced pattern multiplication lithography
    • Extends LPDDR5 leadership
    • Delivers improved power and performance
    • Now shipping samples of 9.6Gbps with further improved power savings
    1beta dram

    AI use cases at the edge are accelerated with high-performance, power-efficient memory

     

    As AI use cases and applications permeate flagship smartphones, these advancements are projected to trickle down to high-end and mid-tier devices in the future. Counterpoint Research stated earlier this year that over 1 billion AI smartphones are projected to ship globally by 2027, a true testament to the massive demand and quick adoption of AI for the mobile ecosystem and end users. With the proliferation of new AI use cases and the advancements of foundational models delivering more sophisticated and precise feedback, the importance of high-performance and power-efficient memory becomes even more critical to fuel the AI engines that ensure exceptional end user experiences.

    AI at the edge is currently in its infancy, and we see many opportunities and challenges that the mobile ecosystem will need to overcome for us to reach full potential and mass adoption. The benefits are clear: security and privacy of your data, instantaneous responses without relying on the cloud, and lower infrastructure costs. The challenges for hardware, software and architecture are still being explored, and standardizations for foundational models are still being solidified. At Micron, we continue to be at the forefront, delivering solutions that are geared to accelerate AI innovation for today and for the future.

     

    1 Compared to the previously launched 9.6 Gbps LPDDR5X

    2 Based off iPhone 15 Pro claim of 23 hours video playback

    3 Measured against 1-alpha-based LPDDR5X

    Vice President, Product Line Management, Mobile Business Unit

    Ross Dermott

    Ross Dermott is the Vice President of Product Line Management for the Mobile Business Unit at Micron Technology. He leads a team based in Asia, the US, and Europe, that collaborates closely with mobile OEMs, the broader mobile ecosystem, and Micron’s world class engineering teams to deliver Micron’s industry leading product portfolio to the mobile market.

    Ross has been with Micron for more than 20 years in roles spanning engineering, strategy, and marketing and is listed as an inventor on 12 patents. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Montana State University in electrical engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration from UCLA’s Anderson School of Business. Ross is also on the Board of Directors for the Saint Alphonsus Foundation, which helps the Saint Alphonsus hospital meet its objective of bringing state-of-the-art medical care to those in need.