Recently, it result Chinese memory manufacturer Changxin Memory Technology (CXMT) has begun shipping DDR5 memory chips. However, according to a survey Chinese semiconductor researcherThe die size of Changxin Storage’s 16 Gb DDR5 memory IC is 40% larger than competing chips from Samsung, which means its manufacturing costs are much higher due to the use of less advanced chip manufacturing technology. Of course, take this information with a grain of salt as it comes from unofficial sources, but the technicians did deconstruct the DRAM module in the video, lending credibility to the findings.
| Tom’s Hardcore | CXMT 16Gb DDR5 chip | Samsung 16Gb DDR5 |
| Square millimeters | 68.06mm^2 | 48.90mm^2 |
| Mold size | 8.25×8.25mm | 6.46×7.57 mm |
Changxin Storage’s 16 Gb DDR5 chip size is 8.25 × 8.25 mm; therefore, its chip size is 68.06 mm^2. In comparison, the modern Samsung 16 Gb DDR5 chip size is 6.46 × 7.57 mm, and the die size is 48.90 mm^2.
When Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix begin mass production of 16 Gb DDR5 memory chips in 2021, their die sizes will range from 66.26 mm^2 to 72.21 mm^2 (according to Technical Insights), but over time, all DRAM manufacturers have shrunk the DDR5 die size.
Changxin Storage’s 16 Gb DDR5 chips are comparable in size to the first-generation DDR5 chips from leading memory manufacturers. Assuming that the yield rate of Changxin Storage in 2021 is also equivalent to that of Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix, then the cost of Changxin Storage will also be equivalent to the levels of these companies four or five years ago.
Still, Changxin Storage’s DDR5 costs are likely to be much higher than those currently offered by Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix, so it remains to be seen whether the company can compete with its competitors in terms of pricing. We can only wonder if Changxin Storage will be able to sell its DDR5 at a significant discount to capture market share from its competitors.
The relatively large die size of Changxin Storage’s DDR5 memory chips also shows that the process technology used by the company is several years behind its competitors, which is not particularly surprising. Despite this, Changxin Storage’s partners still produce DDR5-6000 memory sticks, showing that the company’s DDR5 ICs have considerable performance potential. Despite this, the leading DRAM manufacturer is currently ahead of Changxin Memory in terms of performance, power efficiency and cost efficiency.