LPDDR5 RAM: Advantages and Disadvantages

This page explores the advantages and disadvantages of LPDDR5 RAM, the fifth generation of Low Power Double Data Rate technology.

What is LPDDR5 RAM?

Introduction: LPDDR5 is a low-power volatile (DRAM) device memory standard designed for storing code, applications, and data. It’s a type of SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) that’s specifically engineered to consume less power. It’s primarily intended for use in mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops and supports 16-bit or 32-bit wide channels. JEDEC (formerly known as the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) has published standards for these low-power DRAMs.

Image Courtesy : Synopsys

Figure 1 illustrates the evolution of LPDDR generations from LPDDR1 to LPDDR5, showcasing their speeds (in Mbps) and the years they were introduced. The data transfer rate (in Mbps) increases with each successive generation. LPDDR1 supports 400 Mbps, while LPDDR5 boasts a much faster 6400 Mbps.

Figure 2 displays the Samsung 990 and Snapdragon 865 modem chipsets, both of which support LPDDR5 RAM.

LPDDR5 utilizes CK (“Clock”), WCK (“Write Clock”), and RDQS (“Read Data Strobe”) in differential mode to achieve maximum performance. To conserve power, it switches these differential signals to single-ended signals when operating at lower data rates (below 1600 Mbps).

Refer to the differences between LPDDR1, LPDDR2, LPDDR3, LPDDR4, and LPDDR5 DRAM types for a more detailed comparison.

Benefits or Advantages of LPDDR5 RAM

The following are the benefits of LPDDR5 RAM:

• Higher Data Transfer Speed: LPDDR5 offers significantly faster data transfer speeds, almost double that of its predecessors.
• Lower Power Consumption: It consumes very little power, extending battery life.
• Increased Data Bandwidth: Achieved through the addition of more parallel data paths, thanks to the multi-bank group mode feature.
• Improved Memory Performance: Translates to a better overall user experience. Actions like taking pictures with mobile phones are faster due to the high memory performance, reducing delays.
• Reduced Cloud Gaming Latency: Enables real-time synchronization of AI (Artificial Intelligence) computing data, crucial for cloud gaming.
• Simplified Implementation: New clocking schemes make implementing LPDDR5 controllers and physical layers easier.

Drawbacks or Disadvantages of LPDDR5 RAM

There aren’t any significant drawbacks to LPDDR5 DRAM, except for the natural progression of technology where newer versions are inherently superior to older ones due to advancements in ASIC technology. This is not a disadvantage of LPDDR5 per se, but a characteristic of technological evolution.