We have now proceeded to the X iteration of the fifth generation of DRAM technology on phones – LPDDR5X. Apart from phones, LPDDR5X will also find applications in cloud computing, autonomous cars, and AR systems.
Mobile computing has become increasingly demanding, and factors like industry switches to high-resolution content, high refresh rate screens, increased reliance on AI for mobile applications, and the transition to 5G connectivity further warrant the need for a faster and better memory. Also, RAM is quite easy to market on mobile devices, and OEMs are under constant pressure to innovate.
So, how much of an impact does the LPDDR5 have on your mobile experience? Let’s answer all LPDDR5X-related questions while comparing it with the still prominent LPDDR5 and LPDDR4X RAMs.
Contents:
- What is LPDDR5 and LPDDR5X RAM?
- List of phones with LPDDR5 and LPDDR5X RAM
- LPDDR5X vs LPDDR5 – Power efficiency
- LPDDR5X vs LPDDR5 – Data Rate Improvements
- How LPDDR5X Achieve Improved Speed
- LPDDR5X RAM supported Chipsets
What is LPDDR5X? How does it improve over LPDDR5 or LPDDR4X?
LPDDR5X breaks down to the X iteration of the fifth generation of Low Power Double Data Rate technology. The standard was defined by JEDEC in July 2021, which was soon after Samsung had already announced its work on LPDDR5X memory.
LPDDR5X succeeds LPDDR4X, which is also a power-efficient RAM supported by most available chipsets and that can now be had even on affordable phones. The LPDDR5X, however, is still an expensive technology and will be available only across flagship phones in 2024.
So, who are leading LPDDR5X Manufacturers?
Samsung is mass-producing 8 GB, 12 GB, and 16 GB LPDDR5X RAM using the 12 nm process which has been used in various smartphones in the past few years. Samsung will be offering 16 GB LPDDR5X memory to various OEMs in 2024.
Apart from Samsung, Micron has started shipping LPDDR5X RAM in 8 GB, 12 GB, and 16 GB configurations; the first one to do so was the MediaTek Dimensity 9000. OnePlus’s Nord 3 5G was the first phone to employ Micron’s LPDDR5X and many more Chinese players have since sourced Micron’s memory for their respective flagships.
Also Read: UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0 Comparison: What’s New and Different?
List of Phones with LPDDR5 and LPDDR5X RAM Available in 2024
- ASUS ROG Phone 8
- ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
- ASUS Zenfone 10
- ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra
- Google Pixel 8
- Google Pixel 8a
- Google Pixel 8 Pro
- Honor 200
- Honor 200 Pro
- Honor Magic6 Pro
- Infinix GT 20 Pro
- iQOO 11
- iQOO 12
- iQOO Neo9
- iQOO Neo9 Pro
- iQOO Neo9S Pro
- iQOO Z9 Turbo
- Motorola Edge 50 Ultra
- OnePlus 11
- OnePlus 12
- OnePlus 12R
- OnePlus Nord 3
- OPPO Find N3 Flip
- OPPO Find X7 Ultra
- OPPO Reno 12
- OPPO Reno 12 Pro
- POCO F6
- POCO F6 Pro
- POCO X6 Pro
- realme GT 6
- realme GT 6T
- Vivo X90
- Vivo X100
- Vivo X100 Pro
- Vivo X100 Ultra
- Vivo X100s
- Vivo X100s Pro
- Xiaomi 14
- Xiaomi 14 CIVI
- Xiaomi 14 Ultra
- ZTE NUBIA Z60 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S24
- Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
- Samsung Galaxy S23
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (review)
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 (review)
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (review)
- Samsung Galaxy S3 Plus (review)
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G(review)
- Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20 (review)
- Samsung Galaxy S20+
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra (review)
- Samsung Galaxy Flip
- Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro and Mi 10
- iQOO 3 (review)
- iQOO 12 (review)
- Realme X50 Pro (review)
- Redmi K30 Pro
- OnePlus 8 Pro
- Royale Flexpai 2
- OnePlus 11R (review)
- OnePlus 12 (review)
- Asus ROG Phone 7
- OnePlus 11 5G
- Vivo X90 Pro+ (review)
LPDDR5 vs LPDDR5X: Power Efficiency
Over the last few years, LPDDR RAM evolution’s prime focus has been reducing power consumption. That is not to say that the data rate hasn’t improved with every successive generation.
While moving from LPDDR4 to LPDDR4X, the output VDDQ voltage – that is needed to drive signals between RAM and your phone’s chipset – was reduced from 1.1v to 0.6v. This voltage reduction was what primarily brought in the improvements in power efficiency.
Voltages have been reduced with LPDDR5 to LPDDR5X (not the VDDQ, though), but this time the power efficiency gains are driven by many different factors and holistic design refinements. These factors include the use of variable voltage (up to 1.1V), improved clocking inspired by GDDR5 memory used in graphics cards, and – primarily – the new deep sleep mode which ensures that LPDDR5X DRAM consumes 20-25% lesser power as compared to LPDDR5.
Overall, Samsung and JEDEC claim that LPDDR5X RAM will be up to 25% more power-efficient over LPDDR5 – which is a substantial gain. Micron claims a 20% improvement in power efficiency over LPDDR5 for its LPDDR5X chips.
Also Read: What is UFS 3.0 Storage? How will it impact your phone’s performance?
LPDDR5X vs LPDDR5: Data rate improvements
Now let’s come to speed.
TL;DR: Samsung’s 16 GB RAM will have a data rate of about 8500 Mega Transfers per second (MT/s) which is about 24% higher than LPDDR5 memory and 50% higher than LPDDR4X. Micron’s LPDDR5X memory delivers a similar data rate.
So, how does LPDDR5X achieve this improved speed?
The last generation LPDDR4 and LPDDR4x got a speed boost by adopting a 32-bit dual-channel architecture (2 x 16 bit). With the LPDDR5 and LPDDR5X, we have switched back to a single 16-bit channel, but the number of banks in each channel has been doubled from 8 to 16.
DRAM Memory speeds are a lot slower than our processors and a technique that helps them compensate is the use of prefetch buffer. Increasing the size of the prefetch buffer has been an easy way to improve DRAM performance.
Samsung’s LPDDR5X memory uses the same 16-bit prefetch buffer as LPDDR5 and LPDDR4. For improvement in data rate, LPDDR5X (so does LPDDR5) relies on something called bank grouping (which is also what DDR4 DRAM uses). The cadence video below lucidly explains bank grouping basics.
Which chipsets support LPDDR5 RAM?
The LPDDR5X RAM is still considered expensive, and the support is quite limited. As of now, the Dimensity 9000, Dimensity 9100 series, Dimensity 9200 series, Dimensity 9300 series, Dimensity 8300 Ultra, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3, Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Snapdragon X Plus, and Snapdragon X Elite are some of the only chipsets that support LPDDR5X memory.
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IQOO z5 12GB variant also contains LPDDR5 RAM