Micron’s LPCAMM2 Modules Stands To Solve The SO-DIMM Conundrum
Micron’s LPCAMM2 Modules Stands To Solve The SO-DIMM Conundrum
Practically every PC and laptop today uses some kind of memory, and today the most common form factor comes in either desktop DIMM, laptop-friendly SO-DIMM, or just outright soldered ones when faced with space constraints. For SO-DIMM modules in particular, there’s also the problem of physical limits – they are soon approaching the memory speed limits they would physically allow.
Enter Micron’s LPDDR5X-based LPCAMM2. Iterated from the original CAMM form factor pioneered by Dell, the standard was later officially implemented through JEDEC, the standardization body for memory components. The company touts this being the first ever LPCAMM2 module to enter the market, and they will be available in capacities ranging from 16GB to 64GB.
This marks the first big shift in memory standards since the SO-DIMM’s inception in 1997. Micron says the new LPCAMM2 modules can deliver up to 61% power savings, and 71% better performance for PCMark 10 Essentials workloads, as well as a 64% reduction in footprint over equivalent SO-DIMM modules. In terms of performance – 9600MT/s is the new limit, as opposed to the DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM modules we currently have in some high-performance laptops (although the company projects SO-DIMM modules with up to 7200MT/s limit by 2026).
This is a huge moment for laptops – for years, as laptop manufacturers chase the chassis thinness, the modularity offered through SO-DIMM modules was often sacrificed due to its large footprint on the motherboard. The new LPCAMM2 modules will once again allow laptops of this class to allow swappable memory modules, thanks to its much smaller size and the ability to deliver much higher memory bandwidth, in part thanks to shorter PCB traces.
Micron also noted that the new LPCAMM2 modules will be available in the first half of 2024, marketed under the Crucial brand. The company expects to cater to gamers, content creators, and professionals – and on the subject of gaming, there’s the question of whether desktops may transition to LPCAMM2 modules as well, given that SK Hynix has briefly hinted so. That could involve a long transition process, and to that end, Micron’s Praveen Vaidyanathan (VP & GM, Micron Compute Products Group) says the industry is open to developing a DIMM-to-CAMM adapter to smooth things out.
Pokdepinion: Would be interesting to see if desktop PCs may also make the switch to CAMMs.
