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DRAM components

DDR5 DRAM

Optimal memory performance and capacity for Intel® Xeon® 6 processors

Micron MRDIMM provides the highest-bandwidth, lowest-latency, and highest-capacity main memory for accelerating memory-intensive workloads like AI and High-Performance Computing environments using Intel Xeon 6 processors. ​

Available from 32GB up to 256GB, our high-capacity MRDIMMs are ready to be deployed in data center environments. Micron’s high-performance MRDIMM solution delivers up to a 39% improvement in bandwidth with energy efficiency.

DDR5 MRDIMM group shot

Industry's first scalable memory

Micron delivers higher performance DRAM that:

  • Scaled overall bandwidth with DDR5 RDIMM speeds up to 8000 MT/s and MRDIMM up to 8800 MT/s​
  • Delivers up to a 2x improvement in memory bandwidth compared to DDR4 SDRAM at 3200 MT/s​
  • Brings new and increased capacities with 32Gb monolithic die based 128GB RDIMMs​

     
Micron DDR5 MRDIMM

Fueling AI advances with Micron 96GB and 128GB high-capacity RDIMMs

Micron’s world-class high-capacity RDIMM modules are fueling advances in AI data centers around the world. Powered by Micron’s industry-leading 1β (1-beta) technology, the 128GB DDR5 RDIMM memory delivers more than 45% improved bit density,4 up to 22% improved energy efficiency5 and up to 16% lower latency4 over competitive 3DS through-silicon via (TSV) products. 

Micron DDR5 RDIMM 96GB and 128GB modules side by side

Micron DDR5 SDRAM: Scalable memory for growing processor core counts

Fueling performance for modern workloads by delivering the memory bandwidth needed to turn large data sets into insight — quickly and efficiently.

Mixed race technician using digital tablet in server room

Technology Enablement Program for DDR5

The Technology Enablement Program (TEP) for DDR5 offers a path into Micron to gain early access to technical information and support, electrical and thermal models, as well as memory products to aid in the design, development and introduction of next-generation computing platforms.

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The advantages of DDR5


Details


Micron DDR5: The memory technology for next-generation Intel server platforms

Intel has announced the latest generation of servers featuring 4th Gen Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors. Micron DDR5 runs SPECjbb 48% faster on the Dell PowerEdge 760 platform compared to previous generations.3

Dark server room data center storage 3D rendering

Advantages of migrating to DDR5

DDR5 is the next evolution in DRAM, bringing a robust list of new features geared to increase reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS); reduce power; and dramatically improve performance. See below for a list of some of the key feature differences between DDR4 and DDR5.

 

Feature/Option DDR4 DDR5 DDR5 Advantage  
Data rates  600-3200MT/s 4800-8800MT/s  Increases performance and bandwidth  
VDD/VDDQ/VPP  1.2/1.2/2.5   1.1/1.1/1.8 Lowers power  
Internal VREF VREFDQ VREFDQ, VREFCA, VREFCS Improves voltage margins, reduces BOM costs  
Device densities  2Gb-16Gb  16Gb, 24Gb, 32Gb Enables larger monolithic devices  
Prefetch  8n 16n Keeps the internal core clock low  
DQ receiver equalization CTLE DFE Improves opening of the received DQ data eyes inside the DRAM  
Duty cycle adjustment (DCA) None DQ and DQS Improves signaling on the transmitted DQ/DQS pins  
Internal DQS delay monitoring
None  DQS interval oscillator  Increases robustness against environmental changes  
On-die ECC None 128b+8b SEC, error check and scrub Strengthens on-chip RAS  
CRC Write Read/Write Strengthens system RAS by protecting read data  
Bank groups (BG)/banks 
4 BG x 4 banks (x4/x8)
2 BG x 4 banks (x16)
8 BG x 4 banks (16-64Gb x4/x8)
4 BG x 4 banks (16-64Gb x16)
Improves bandwidth/performance  
Command/address interface ODT, CKE, ACT, RAS, CAS, WE, A<X:0>  CA<13:0> Dramatically reduces the CA pin count  
ODT DQ, DQS, DM/DBI DQ, DQS, DM, CA bus  Improves signal integrity, reduces BOM costs  
Burst length BL8 (and BC4) BL16 (and BC8 OTF) Allows 64B cache line fetch with only 1 DIMM subchannel.  
MIR (“mirror” pin) None Yes  Improves DIMM signaling  
Bus inversion  Data bus inversion (DBI) Command/address inversion (CAI) Reduces VDDQ noise  
CA training, CS training None CA training, CS training Improves timing margin on CA and CS pins  
Write leveling training modes Yes Improved Compensates for unmatched DQ-DQS path  
Read training patterns Possible with the MPR Dedicated MRs for serial (userdefined), clock and LFSR -generated training patterns Makes read timing margin more robust  
Mode registers 7 x 17 bits Up to 256 x 8 bits (LPDDR type read/write)  Provides room to expand  
PRECHARGE commands All bank and per bank All bank, per bank, and same bank PREsb enables precharging a bank in each BG  
REFRESH commands  All bank All bank and same bank REFsb enables refreshing a bank in each BG  
Loopback mode None Yes Enables testing of the DQ and DQS signaling   

Micron's DDR5 ecosystem partners

Micron works closely with selected ecosystem partners to provide early access to next-generation storage and memory protocols. Learn how:

1.  Micron partners with AMD to deliver next-generation data center performance.

2.  Micron partners with Intel to deliver next-generation server platforms.

Featured resources

Frequently asked questions

DDR5 DRAM is fifth-generation double data rate (DDR) dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) technology. DDR refers to the transfer of data on both the rise and fall of the clock signal. DRAM is a semiconductor memory that stores bits of data in memory cells containing a capacitor and a transistor. Micron DDR5 DRAM memory is available in 16/32/64GB and 24/48/96GB capacities.

No, DDR5 server memory and DDR4 motherboards are incompatible. DDR5 will only fit in DDR5 server motherboards for all CPUs (central processing units) released into the market after October 2022. DDR5 is designed for data-intensive workloads like generative AI, machine learning, deep learning and other workloads running complex algorithms.

Both! Micron uses the megatransfers per second (MT/s) unit when referring to the transfer rate of the memory. The use of megahertz (MHz) is appropriate when talking about the actual clock speed of the memory. Because all DDR memory technology, including DDR5, is “double data rate,” transfers occur on both the rise and fall of the clock edge. Therefore, the fastest DDR4 memory is measured as 3200MT/s or 1600MHz. While DDR4 transfer rates range from 1866MT/s to 3200MT/s, Micron DDR5 produces 4800MT/s and 5600MT/s rates. All 2024 CPUs (central processing units) will be capable of 6400 to 8800MT/s.

As the next evolution in DRAM (dynamic random-access memory), DDR5 enhances data processing applications that require substantial amounts of memory bandwidth, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence and big data analytics. DDR5 offers faster speeds, immediately delivering an 85% or higher increase in performance over DDR4. With a data rate (speed) range of 4800 to 8800MT/s, DDR5 delivers higher-performance memory and is geared to increase reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS).

  • More performance: DDR5 run speeds start at 4800MT/s while DDR4 offers a maximum speed of 3200MT/s. As a result of this increase, we see two times the performance in HPC (high-performance compute) workloads. In the case of deep learning, Micron DDR5 memory delivers up to five times the performance of DDR4.
  • Improved reliability: ODECC (on-die error correction code) detects all single- and double-bit error codes and resolves single-bit error codes before sending them to the host CPU/GPU. ODECC is an evolution included in the DDR5 specification that is designed to improve customer quality and enable future scaling.
  • Total cost of ownership: Our Micron 96GB DDR5 DRAM technology is optimized for TCO (total cost of ownership) in enterprise and cloud service provider environments. Micron DDR5 memory is validated and available in 16/32/64GB and 24/48/96GB capacities.

For more information and an overview of the differences, see our side-by-side assessment of DDR5 vs. DDR4.

Yes, as data centers move to support the more complex algorithms used for AI training, DDR5 is superior to DDR4 in the following ways:

  • Micron DDR5 server DRAM nearly doubles the performance of DDR4. Unlike DDR4, DDR5 is optimized to increase server and workstation performance by 85% or more. First introduced in 2014, DDR4 can no longer keep up with the demands of the data center. With more instances of actively running virtual machines on a single platform, DDR5 technology relieves the bandwidth-per-core memory crunch and increases the performance and responsiveness of virtualized applications.
  • With new module densities of 96GB, DDR5 boosts the maximum capacity of a high-performance server by 50%. This provides additional computational space without having to purchase additional servers.
  • Micron builds DDR5 server memory with power management integrated circuits (PMICs) on the module, meaning that customers are not paying for power management of the entire system. This design can initially mean a lower overall cost to power DDR5 servers compared to DDR4 servers when some system slots are left open. Micron server memory is high quality and typically less expensive than OEM server memory.
  • Micron DDR5 server memory delivers higher bandwidths along with improved reliability, availability and scaling than DDR4. It is 100% component- and module-tested to mission-critical server standards and optimized for the next-generation Intel® and AMD® DDR5 server and workstation platforms. As one of three major memory manufacturers, Micron tests and validates our DDR5 server memory to work with all major DDR5 server platforms.

No. There is a significant installed base and need for continued support of DDR4 for many years to come. Micron plans to continue manufacturing DDR4 using our 1α (1-alpha) node, as we did with DDR3 when DDR4 was first introduced.

DDR5 offers benefits in many applications and is best suited for maximizing DDR5 server and workstation performance for AI, deep learning, high-performance computing (HPC), cloud computing, virtualized supercomputing, and in-memory database applications that demand the highest-speed real-time memory available.

HPC workloads are notably memory-bandwidth hungry, and the lack of sufficient memory bandwidth often constrains their performance. These complex workloads focus on solving some of humankind’s most challenging problems, including weather and climate simulations, seismic modeling, and physics, chemical and biological analysis. Micron DDR5 performs two times better for molecular dynamics, weather research and forecast, and OpenFOAM workloads.

These workloads also highlight the types of simulations, predictions and models of complex systems with large datasets that are often grouped with AI and other data analytics to support complex workflow analysis for both business and science. Their use helps reduce development time and costs in a broad range of applications.

DDR5 operates at a voltage of 1.1 volts, compared to 1.2 volts for DDR4, significantly reducing power consumption.

Micron works closely with industry leaders in CPU and platform development and with leading system and motherboard manufacturers to enable the next level of memory technology. Micron is a proven industry leader with the innovative expertise to not just sell but also engineer quality memory products for servers — from start to finish. Micron 96GB DDR5, our high-capacity DIMM using single-die packaging, is 60% lower in cost and uses 4% less power than competitive 128GB DDR5 memory.

Initial DDR5 memory module prices are expected to be higher than those for DDR4 (50% more) while the new technology ramps into full production. Over time, the cost is expected to come down, but each DDR5 module includes a small power management integrated circuit, which was moved from a single large circuit on the motherboard. This move, along with the component voltage drop from 1.2V to 1.1V, improves power management and could lower overall system costs over time. In addition, because DDR5 provides an estimated 85% performance improvement, upgrading may effectively reduce overall TCO.

AMD introduced 4th Gen EPYC processors in October 2022, and Intel introduced 4th Gen Xeon processors in January 2023. These products support DDR5 memory. Check with your favorite system vendor to take advantage of this game-changing technology in your data center.

When implementing DDR5, factors such as compatibility and TCO need to be considered. Our technical team can answer any questions or concerns related to needs. Contact us for more information.

1.  STREAM benchmark testing: Single socket 3rd Gen AMD EPYC CPU 7763 (64 cores) with Micron DDR4 3200 MHz system is capable of 189 GB/sec; single socket 4th Gen AMD EPYC CPU 9654 (96 cores) with Micron DDR5 4800 MHz system is capable of 378 GB/sec; this result is based on testing at Micron Austin Labs.
2.  Currently sampling to ecosystem partners.
3.  https://www.dell.com/en-us/blog/leading-sap-hana-performance-by-dell-poweredge-r760-servers/
4. Based on competitive data sheets and JEDEC specifications.
5. Micron 5,600 MT/s 128GB DDR5 RDIMM memory compared to SK Hynix’s 5,600 MT/s 3DS TSV product yields 22.2% better power efficiency. 

 

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