Micron Sampling World’s First 1γ (1-Gamma)-Based LPDDR5X, Enabling Rich Mobile AI Experiences

Micron Technology, Inc. announced that it is shipping qualification samples of a world’s first 1γ (1-gamma) node-based low-power double data rate 5X (LPDDR5X) memory, designed to accelerate AI applications on flagship smartphones.

Delivering the industry’s fastest LPDDR5X speed grade of 10.7Gb/s, combined with up to a 20% power savings, ⁽¹⁾ the company’s LPDDR5X transforms smartphones with faster, smoother mobile experiences and longer battery life — even when executing data-intensive workloads such as AI-powered translation or image generation.

To meet the industry’s increasing demand for compact solutions for next-generation smartphone designs, the firm’s engineers have shrunk the LPDDR5X package size to offer the industry’s thinnest package of 0.61mm,⁽²⁾ making it 6% thinner compared to competitive offerings, ⁽³⁾ and representing a 14% height reduction from the previous-gen. ⁽⁴⁾ The small form factor unlocks more possibilities for smartphone manufacturers to design ultrathin or foldable smartphones.

“Micron’s 1-gamma node-based LPDDR5X memory is a game-changer for the mobile industry,” said Mark Montierth, corporate VP and GM, mobile and client business unit, Micron. “This breakthrough technology delivers lightning-fast speeds and remarkable power efficiency — all within the industry’s thinnest LPDDR5X package — paving the way for exciting new smartphone designs. This solution demonstrates our commitment to empowering the ecosystem to create extraordinary mobile experiences.“

The company’s 1γ-based LPDDR5X enables leaps in performance for mobile users by enabling faster AI insights. For example, Micron evaluated mobile AI response times from large language model Llama 2, based on 1γ LPDDR5X’s 10.7Gb bandwidth compared to 1β (1-beta) LPDDR5X’s 7.5Gb bandwidth, ⁽⁵⁾ finding:

• Responses are 30% faster when asking for location-based restaurant recommendations.
• Results are more than 50% faster when translating a voice inquiry in English to text in Spanish to ask for directions.
• Responses can be up to 25% faster when requesting car purchase recommendations based on vehicle type, affordability and certain infotainment and safety features. ⁽⁶⁾

Now ramping in the companys mobile portfolio, the firms 1γ-based LPDDR5X is the company’s 1st mobile solution to leverage advanced EUV lithography — providing customers with early access to the latest performance and power efficiency advancements, based on the industry’s most advanced memory node technology. This milestone builds on Micron’s February sampling of 1γ-based DDR5 memory for next-gen CPUs in the data center and client segments. The firm‘s optimized 1γ DRAM node leverages CMOS ⁽⁷⁾ advancements like next-gen high-K metal gate technology for improved transistor performance and incorporates leading-edge EUV lithography for enhanced bit density.

As energy-intensive mobile AI workloads are increasingly processed on-device rather than only in the cloud, low-power chips are crucial for devices like smartphones, tablets and laptops, which need to conserve power while performing AI computations.

Micron’s 1γ-based LPDDR5X’s significant 20% power savings will allow mobile users to enjoy their favorite AI applications, games and video content longer on a single charge. In addition, as AI intensifies the need for powerful, energy-efficient compute, data center servers, intelligent vehicles and AI PCs may also increasingly adopt LPDDR5X for its unique blend of optimized power efficiency and high performance.

Micron is currently sampling 1γ-based LPDDR5X 16GB products to select partners and will offer a wide range of capacities from 8 to 32GB for use in 2026 flagship smartphones.

⁽¹⁾ Compared to Micron’s previous-genLPDDR5X
⁽²⁾ Package thickness varies based on capacity; 0.61mm thickness for Micron’s 8GB and 16GB 1γ-based LPDDR5X 496-ball packages.
⁽³⁾ Based on Micron’s competitive market research and intelligence, with competitive offerings measuring at 0.65mm thick
⁽⁴⁾ Based on a thickness of 0.71mm for Micron’s 1β-based LPDDR5X for 16GB
⁽⁵⁾ Examples below are based on extrapolation of data from devices using LPDDR5X running at 9.6Gb and 7.5Gb.
⁽⁶⁾ Based on a test asking Llama 2 to recommend 10 SUVs while prioritizing user requirements such as affordability, Apple CarPlay and essential safety features such as emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, parking sensors and all-wheel drive. Recommendations given were within a budget of $23,000 to $37,000.
⁽⁷⁾ Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor

Resources :
Product page: LPDDR5X
Mobile solutions page: Mobile Memory and Storage for Phones
Technology page: 1-Gamma DRAM technology