Samsung, the world’s largest memory chip producer, has launched a new multichip package (MCP) for smartphones. The new LPDDR5 uMCP (UFS-based MCP) combines the company’s fastest LPDDR5 DRAM with its latest UFS 3.1 NAND flash in a single package. It is the industry’s first such smartphone memory solution. The Korean firm aims to bring flagship-level performance to lower-cost phones with its latest memory advancement. It is particularly targeting the new solution at the upcoming crop of affordable 5G smartphones.
“As 5G-compatible devices become more mainstream, we anticipate that our latest multichip package innovation will accelerate the market transition to 5G and beyond, and help to bring the metaverse into our everyday lives a lot faster, said Young-soo Sohn, a vice president at Samsung.
Samsung promises fast speed and higher storage capacity with the LPDDR5 uMCP
According to Samsung, its first LPDDR5 uMCP will provide the industry’s highest speed and storage capacity at very low power. The combination of the latest mobile DRAM and NAND interfaces will bring premium features like advanced photography, graphics-intensive gaming and augmented reality (AR), which were earlier exclusive to flagship smartphones, to lower-tier devices.
Samsung has made significant improvements in both DRAM and NAND flash performance to enable flagship-level capabilities on the new solution. DRAM performance has been improved by nearly 50 percent over the previous LPDDR4X-based UFS 2.2 solution. It jumps from 17 gigabytes per second (GB/s) to 25GB/s. Likewise, the NAND flash performance sees a 2X jump from 1.5GB/s on the previous-gen solution to 3GB/s on the new LPDDR5 uMCP.
Along with these performance improvements, Samsung has also made sure to keep the size compact to maximize space efficiency. The company has integrated DRAM and NAND storage into a single package that measures 11.5 x 13mm. This will allow more space for other components such as the battery, something that’s very important for power-hungry 5G devices.
Moreover, the new memory solution also supports DRAM capacities from 6GB to 12GB and storage options from 128GB to 512GB. Samsung says this vast range will allow smartphone OEMs to customize their devices across the mid to high-end segment.
“Samsung’s new LPDDR5 uMCP is built upon our rich legacy of memory advancements and packaging know-how, enabling consumers to enjoy uninterrupted streaming, gaming, and mixed reality experiences even in lower-tier devices,” Mr. Sohn added.
The Korean firm has already completed testing of its latest memory solution with several global smartphone OEMs. It has now begun the mass production process. The company expects the new LPDDR5 uMCP to ship inside devices starting this month.