Micron has initiated the sale of its LPDDR5X-based LPCAMM2 memory modules, marking a significant moment in the industry as these modules start to become available on the retail market. Sold under the Crucial brand, a proprietary of Micron, these modules have been introduced alongside Lenovo’s ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 laptop, making it the inaugural retail laptop to support these cutting-edge memory modules. This event signals the commencement of the much-anticipated era of modular LPDDR5X memory.
The Low Power Compression Attached Memory Module 2 (LPCAMM2) from Micron, available in 32 GB and 64 GB capacities, demonstrates the advancements in memory technology with its dual-channel architecture, 128-bit interface, and high data transfer rates of up to 7500 MT/s. While the exact latencies remain unspecified by Micron, the manufacturer asserts that the speed of LPDDR5X amply compensates for any delayed timings.
With LPDDR5X memory, there’s a notable decrease in power consumption—active power usage per 64-bit bus is 43-58% less than its DDR5 counterpart at identical speeds, and standby power is reduced by up to 80%. Like DDR5 modules, LPCAMM2 modules come equipped with a power management integrated circuit and voltage regulating circuitry, enabling even further reductions in power consumption.
Source: Micron LPDDR5X LPCAMM2 Technical Brief
The advent of LPCAMM2 modules means that system vendors are presented with a choice between the benefits of modular memory versus the superior performance possible with soldered memory options. Although soldered LPDDR5X can achieve speeds up to 8533 MT/sec, with prospects of reaching 9600 MT/sec, the modular LPCAMM2 modules currently cap at 7500 MT/sec. Thus, it highlights a trade-off between modularity and maximum bandwidth and space efficiency.
Looking ahead, Micron anticipates the release of 9600 MT/sec LPCAMM2 modules by 2026, suggesting that the boundaries of memory speed and efficiency will continue to be pushed further.
The pricing set by Micron for the Crucial LPDDR5X modules stands at $174.99 for the 32 GB variant and $329.99 for the 64 GB variant.
