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The world’s first DDR5 DRAM chips launched by SK Hynix on Oct. 6. (provided by SK Hynix)

SK Hynix has just released the world’s first DDR5 DRAM, which is likely to set a new standard for memory semiconductors.

Since developing the 16 GB DDR5 in November 2018, SK Hynix has provided samples to Intel and other major partners. Following various tests for compatibility and other issues, the company said on Oct. 6 it had set up a mass-production system.

The next-generation DDR5 is a high-speed, high-capacity product designed for use in big data, AI, and machine learning. The chip enables a transfer rate of 4,800-5600Mbps, up to 80% faster than current-generation DDR4’s speed of 3,200Mbps. That means the chip can send nine 5GB high-definition films per second.

The DDR5’s operating voltage has dropped from 1.2V to 1.1V for a 20% reduction in power consumption. It’s also equipped with an internal Error Correcting Code, enabling the chip to correct its own errors.

The market for the product is expected to coalesce in the second half of 2021. That’s when Intel will be developing CPUs (central processing units) based on the semiconductor. Market research firm Omdia projects that demand for DDR5 will appear in 2021, giving the chip a 10% share of the DRAM market in 2022 and a 43% share in 2024.

Samsung Electronics also announced plans to mass produce DDR5 chips in the second half of next year in a briefing this past July about company performance in the second quarter.

By Koo Bon-kwon, senior staff writer

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