Memory modules built on Samsung B-die chips are perhaps one of the most popular options among enthusiasts. However, the South Korean manufacturer considers them obsolete and is currently halting their production, offering to replace other DDR4 memory chips that use newer manufacturing processes. This means that the unbuffered Samsung DDR4 memory modules based on B-die chips have now ended their life cycle, and they will soon disappear from sale. Other manufacturers that use Samsung B-die chips in their products will also stop supplying such modules.
Samsung B-die chips and memory modules based on them have won wide recognition due to their versatility and overclocking potential. They perfectly scale in frequency, respond well to the increase in supply voltage and allow operation at extremely aggressive timings. A separate important advantage of modules based on Samsung B-die chips is their unpretentiousness and wide compatibility with various memory controllers, for which they are especially loved by owners of systems based on Ryzen processors.
However, for the production of B-die chips, a rather old technological process with 20 nm standards is used, so Samsung's desire to abandon the production of such semiconductor devices in favor of more modern alternatives is quite understandable. Not so long ago, the company announced the start of production of DDR4 SDRAM chips using 1z-nm technology (third generation), and chips manufactured using the 1y-nm process technology (second generation) have been produced for more than a year and a half. It is on them that the manufacturer calls to switch. The B-die chips are officially set to EOL (End of Life) status - the end of the life cycle.
Instead of the legendary Samsung B-die chips, other offerings will now acquire distribution. M-die chips have reached the stage of mass production, for the creation of which a technical process with 1y nm standards is used. Also, A-die chips, produced using even more advanced technology with 1z nm standards, have reached the stage of qualification production. This means that memory on M-die chips will be available for sale in the very near future, and modules based on A-die chips will become available to users within six months.
The main advantage of new memory chips with updated cores, in addition to modern technical processes and potentially higher frequency potential, is also their increased capacity. They allow the production of single-sided DDR4 memory modules with a capacity of 16 GB and double-sided modules with a capacity of 32 GB, which was previously impossible.
It is worth recalling that this summer we can expect significant changes in the range of DDR4 SDRAM memory modules available on the market. In addition to the new Samsung chips, E-die chips from Micron and C-die chips from SK Hynix should also begin to be used in memory strips. It is likely that all these changes will cause an increase not only in the average volume, but also in the frequency potential of average DDR4 SDRAM modules.
Source: 3dnews.ru