Goodbye, SO-DIMM: Reminiscence overseer JEDEC will formally undertake the “CAMM Frequent Spec” as the subsequent RAM module normal for laptops.
JEDEC, the reminiscence group that homologates RAM requirements, is within the means of hammering out the brand new spec to exchange the fundamental SO-DIMMs which were in use for 25 years, in accordance with JEDEC committee member, and Dell Senior Distinguished Engineer Tom Schnell.
Schnell really created the original CAMM—or Compression Hooked up Reminiscence Module—design for Dell final yr. JEDEC’s CAMM normal will probably be based mostly on that CAMM design however is prone to be considerably totally different as firms hammer it out.
Whereas the adoption of latest {hardware} requirements may be fraught, with hand-wringing, foot-dragging, and all of the friction of a negotiation amongst co-workers over the place to get lunch, JEDEC appears to have managed it pretty simply.
JEDEC’s CAMM will probably be based mostly on, however doubtless not precisely the identical as, Dell’s unique CAMM that was carried out in some Dell Precision laptops final yr.
Dell
In truth, Schnell stated, the acceptance went over fairly properly with the 20 firms or so within the activity group voting for it.
“We have now unanimous approval of the 0.5 spec,” Schnell informed PCWorld. Schnell stated JEDEC is concentrating on the second half of the 2023 to finalize the 1.0 spec, with CAMM-based techniques out by subsequent yr.
Who’re the businesses that voted for it? Schnell can’t say, as that’s as much as every member to disclose, however group covers the vary of suppliers, from SoC, to connectors, to OEMs, and all unanimously voted to undertake the CAMM Frequent Spec, with no dissenters. There are at present 332 firms listed in JEDEC, from Apple to ZTE, every concerned in numerous points of reminiscence in numerous industries.
For many who haven’t adopted it, Dell launched its CAMM design in April 2022 with the goal of changing the a long time outdated SO-DIMM design that has been utilized in most gaming and workstation laptops so far. CAMM’s essential attraction is that it allows greater reminiscence density whereas additionally scaling to ever greater clock speeds.
A few of the motivation for expediency doubtless comes from the fast-approaching “brick wall” going through laptops when SO-DIMMs hit at DDR5/6400.
Schnell stated the CAMM spec is way from finalized, however the first JEDEC CAMM modules ought to take over proper the place SO-DIMM ends at 6400.
An illustration from Dell exhibits the convoluted path the reminiscence traces take to get from the CPU in a SO-DIMM (higher left) versus the corporate’s new CAMM and cDIMM (decrease proper.)
Dell
CAMM just isn’t proprietary
When Dell first launched CAMM, it was considerably misunderstood as a proprietary spec that will “lock prospects” right into a design. Dell has stated that’s by no means been its intention and the quick approval appears to vindicate that. Schnell addressed that preliminary concern, with the adoption underway.
“Dell is a large firm, we don’t hold the lights on as a result of we get royalties for a patent,” he stated. “We mainly need to get better the price of inventing it, and implementing it.”
In addition to, going it alone is just not how the PC world works.
“We’re a part of the PC business and the PC business is constructed out of an ecosystem of companions, suppliers all feeding in,” Schnell stated. “Sure, Dell does nice innovation of our personal in our techniques, however we additionally combine lots of improvements from lots of people.”
The way forward for CAMM
With CAMM being hammered out now, Schnell did lay out some doable paths for CAMM because it replaces SO-DIMM. DDR6 is an apparent highway, he stated, however CAMM even allows the potential of LPDDR6 on a replaceable module. LPDDR, or low-power DDR RAM, has lengthy been most well-liked for smaller and thinner laptops in addition to telephones for energy financial savings. It’s additionally lengthy been carried out solely as soldered-on.
Schnell foresees a model of CAMM enabling the efficiency and energy advantages of LPDDR, however in a replaceable and upgradeable module. With JEDEC adopting CAMM now, that future will get nearer.