Memory module manufacturer is Intel 12th Generation Core ‘Alder Lake’ processors have been in mass production since September 2021 with no major issues. However, DDR5 is just entering the data center world and according to recent reports, the registered DIMM power management IC (PMIC) is becoming a limiting factor due to compatibility issues.
In a report published by trend force In discussing the current state of the market for server-grade DDR5 memory, a semiconductor analyst firm said there is a problem with PMIC compatibility of DDR5 RDIMMs, and both DRAM suppliers and PMIC vendors are working together to resolve the issue. I pointed out that Analysts have not revealed the exact root cause of the problem, but they claim that Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) PMICs are fine, and they expect MPS PMICs to be in high demand for the foreseeable future. doing.
DRAM makers have been distributing samples of server-grade modules to CPU and server makers since early 2022, but the real problem is that the makers are making AMD’s EPYC 9004 ‘Genoa’ and Intel’s 4th Generation Xeon Scalable ‘Sapphire Rapids’ processors. As a result, demand for his PMICs from a single supplier has become a production bottleneck, TrendForce claims. This will have a knock-on effect on the server market, which is already suffering from a drop in demand.
Currently, neither analysts nor DRAM makers have revealed the exact reason for the PMIC problem. However, it is becoming apparent that making server-grade modules is more difficult than DIMMs for clients, as his DDR5 DIMMs for both client and server require his PMIC.
As part of the changes that came with the DDR5 specification, DDR5 memory modules now come with their own voltage regulation module (VRM) and PMIC. Moving these components to the DIMM minimizes voltage variation (DDR5 has a tolerance of about 3% (±0.033V) with a 1.1 volt supply), reduces power consumption, and improves performance. is intended for However, doing this also complicates individual DIMMs.
Unbuffered DDR5 DIMMs for client PCs are relatively simple as they are all single or dual rank and contain up to 16 single die memory chips. High-capacity registered DDR5 memory modules for servers use more chips, and each of these chips can be packed into multiple DRAM dies, greatly increasing complexity.
As a result of the PMIC bottleneck and the gradual rise in DDR5 manufacturing capacity, TrendForce predicts server grade 32GB DDR5 module prices will drop to around $80-$90 in April and May. DRAM in the short term. As a result, DDR5 prices are expected to decline more slowly than DDR4 over the next few quarters. DDR5 prices will only catch up (or even fall) to DDR4 only after production recovers.
