Samsung's 30nm DDR3 DRAM set to lower costs and power consumption later this year

It seems like we've been talking about Samsung and its 30nm promise for an eternity, but ever so slowly real products are starting to head out into real consumers' hands. After recently announcing its forthcoming NAND memory cards, the company is back with word of 2Gb DDR3 DRAM modules that consume 30 percent less power than their 50nm counterparts, yet are also more cost-effective to manufacture. Operating at either 1.5 or 1.35 volts, the 30nm parts are set for mass production in the second half of 2010, so they won't be here quite as soon as we'd like, but at least we'll know what to put down in our next Holiday Gift Guide. Just imagine your laptop purring along with a paired set of ultra-efficient RAM sticks and one of those newfangled 25nm-based SSDs from Intel -- you could probably power it on the sheer strength of your geek lust alone.

[r34p3r Posted Feb 1st 2010 5:40AM]

I wish they'd lower costs on cell-phone ram so tight-ass manufacturers would finally put a decent amount in their devices. Seriously, it can' t be a secret of the ages that more RAM = better performance, can it?

I'm literally baffled, especially with subsidization being such a factor amongst the cell world these days. I know this article isn't EXACTLY pertaining to such a subject, but it is still a valid post considering how we are talking about RAM and lowering costs. You would think there would be a decent solution by now...

*sigh*

[mtnDewFTW Posted Feb 1st 2010 5:40AM]

Will this work with my iMac?

[Wwhat Posted Feb 1st 2010 5:53AM]

Good thing they use less power since they still have the daft habit of putting stickers on the chips I see.

[Entourage Posted Feb 1st 2010 8:06AM]

When should we expect to see DDR4 RAM?

[boonlar Posted Feb 1st 2010 9:16AM]

@Entourage I'd estimate 12-24months.

[Wwhat Posted Feb 1st 2010 10:50AM]

@Entourage
There will be no 4, it's straight to 5, you can observe it in graphicscards, they had 2 then 3 now 5, 4 didn't do enough to warrant setting up a whole industry up for.

[pickleJar Posted Feb 1st 2010 8:52AM]

@Steve P Jobs
ROADHOUSE

[think before you react Posted Feb 1st 2010 8:53AM]

Put it in the new MBP refresh with some Bag of Hurt!!

[whiskers Posted Feb 1st 2010 11:22AM]

Lower-cost and lower-energy RAM? Yes, please. Those $80-$100 prices need to go down.

[needmoregigs Posted Feb 1st 2010 3:20PM]

Seriously my ram runs at 1.65v in it's default XMP profile. My DD2 is at 1.8v and my DDR is at 2.1v. Any decrease in voltage is welcomed in my book. Lower power and lower heat.

Prices do need to go down to previous levels though. I bought 6GB of DDR3 1600 triple channel ram for $87 last year. The same kit now cost $149 on newegg. This is ridiculous. I hope with the more cost efficient manufacturing, we get better price.

[Cruiserdude Posted Feb 5th 2010 2:40AM]

While this is impressive news and the smaller process should help lower production costs, and eventually prices, these aren't the first 1.35 volt DDR3 modules. G*Skill's ECO series DDR3 ram gives you 1600mhz @ CL7 at 1.35 volts, and has been out for a few months. I'm not sure who makes the modules (I believe its either Elpida or Hynix), but I can attest to their low voltage qualities as I'm currently running a set in my rig at 7-8-7-24 at 1800mhz and just 1.46 volts. It's wonderful that Samsung is leading the pack with the 30nm process, if 40nm ram can be that power-efficient, this new ram should be able to go even lower than 1.35...