SK hynix has developed samples of DDR5 Multiplexer Combined Ranks (MCR) Dual In-line Memory Module, the world’s fastest server DRAM product.

The new product will operate at the data rate of minimum 8Gbps, and at least 80 percent faster than 4.8Gbps of the existing DDR5 products.

Double Data Rate (DDR), a DRAM standard mainly used for servers and client applications, has been developed up to the fifth generation. The MCR DIMM is a module product with multiple DRAM chips attached to the board and improved speed as a result of two ranks operating simultaneously.

SK hynix designed the product in a way that enables simultaneous operation of two ranks by utilizing the data buffer installed onto the MCR DIMM based on Intel’s MCR technology.

By enabling simultaneous operation of two ranks, MCR DIMM allows transmission of 128 bytes of data to CPU at once, compared with 64 bytes fetched generally in conventional DRAM module. An increase in the amount of data sent to the CPU each time supports the data transfer rate of minimum 8Gbps, twice as fast as a single DRAM.

SK hynix worked with business partners Intel and Renesas throughout the process from the product design to verification.

“SK hynix’s DRAM module-designing capabilities were met with Intel’s excellence in Xeon processor and Renesas’ buffer technology,” Ryu said. “For a stable performance of MCR DIMM, smooth interactions between the data buffer and processor in and out of the module are essential,” SK hynix’s Head of DRAM Product Planning Sungsoo Ryu said.

SK hynix expects the market for the MCR DIMM to expand driven by high performance computing that will take advantage of the increased memory bandwidth. SK hynix is planning to bring the product to mass production in the future.