Server central processing unit (CPU) that supports DDR5, next-generation DRAM, was released for the first time.
On the 11th, Intel Korea held a press conference at the FKI Tower in Yeouido, Seoul, and it unveiled 'Sapphire Rapids', a 4th generation server CPU that is compatible with DDR5 DRAM.
Intel is a company that accounts for more than 90% of the world's server CPU market. Even though DDR5 was mass-produced, this is the first public server CPU that supports DDR5. Memory companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have been waiting for server CPU that is compatible with DDR5.
Seung-joo Na, managing director of Intel Korea, said, “Intel strategically collaborated with global memory companies to improve performance of products compared to existing products. Intel is capable to bring sustainable growth in the data center market.”
Sapphire Rapids is equipped with the highest number of accelerator engines among Intel CPUs. It is able to increase data processing speed and be compatible with DDR5 by making full use of 12 accelerators. New accelerator engines dedicated to specific calculations such as calculation (AMX), vector calculation (AVX-512), encryption/decryption (QAT), and SSL processing were installed in order to increase CPU performance. Sapphire Rapids can support 2.9 times higher performance per watt than that of its predecessor.
Interfaces related to data input/output were also replaced with new standards such as DDR5 and PCI Express 5.0. The compatibility with peripheral devices has also been improved based on the Compute Express Link (CXL) 1.1 of PCI Express.
DDR5 is more than twice faster than DDR4. It was adopted in the mobile and PC markets; however, DDR5 was not supported in the server market.
Similar to artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning that require high-speed data processing, markets for data centers, supercomputers, and corporate servers expanded, and its demand for high-performance DDR5 has also increased.
CPU manufacturers such as Intel are expected to lead the growth of the DDR5 market as these manufacturers release new CPUs one after another. DDR5 DRAM is expected to account for 7% of all DRAM in the first quarter of this year according to market research firm Omdia,. Its market share was only 4% at most by each quarter last year; however it is aniticipated to reach to 20% in the fourth quarter, surpassing DDR4’s expected market share of 12%.
By Staff Reporter Ji-woong Kim (jw0316@etnews.com)