Samsung is readying up some fairly groundbreaking tech: stacking reminiscence on a CPU or a GPU to doubtlessly drastically enhance efficiency. Switching to this method could have an effect on efficiency, energy effectivity, and capability. Sadly, many people won’t ever immediately expertise the advantages of this, as Samsung goes to make use of its high-bandwidth reminiscence (HBM), which means we gained’t discover it even in one of the best graphics playing cards obtainable.
The tech in query includes a brand new 3D packaging technique that belongs to Samsung’s Superior Interconnect Know-how (SAINT) platform, with this newest iteration being dubbed SAINT-D. Every variant includes a special 3D stacking expertise, with SAINT-S stacking the SRAM die on prime of the logic die; SAINT-L stacking logic; and eventually, SAINT-D stacking HBM reminiscence on prime of logic chips, which means both CPUs or GPUs.
SAINT-D introduces stacking HBM vertically on prime of the processor and connecting it by means of a substrate between the 2 chips. It is a large change from Samsung’s present 2.5D packaging strategy, which connects the HBM chips to the GPU horizontally with a silicon interposer.
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The introduction of 3D packaging might be step one towards launching Samsung’s next-gen HBM4. Samsung itself refers to SAINT-D as a “DRAM breakthrough for HPC and AI.” The corporate additionally described the advantages of utilizing this method, as cited by The Korea Financial Every day: “3D packaging reduces energy consumption and processing delays, bettering the standard {of electrical} alerts of semiconductor chips.”
As introduced in the course of the Samsung Foundry Discussion board 2024, the corporate will supply its new 3D HBM packaging as a part of a turnkey service. This implies an end-to-end resolution the place Samsung will each produce the HBM chips and combine them onto GPUs for fabless firms. As SAINT-D is claimed to be making its debut this yr, and the next-gen HBM4 mannequin is ready to reach in 2025, this new technique might make fairly the splash in HPC use instances very quickly, together with numerous AI makes use of.
Samsung’s breakthrough doesn’t imply a lot for shoppers — not but. HBM reminiscence is, because the identify itself implies, utilized in high-performance environments, and to prime all of it off, this 3D packaging expertise is reportedly much more costly to provide than its predecessors. Nevertheless, 3D VRAM is an attention-grabbing idea. Maybe if it really works out properly in information facilities, it could sooner or later make its technique to our PCs.