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CAMM = Compression Attached Memory Module
CAMM to Usurp SO-DIMM Laptop Memory Form Factor Says JEDEC Member
So, farewell, SO-DIMM. After a quarter century of service in laptop, all-in-ones and other compact designs, it looks like the end of the road for SO-DIMM is in sight. JEDEC committee member and Dell Senior Distinguished Engineer, Tom Schnell, told PC World that the new 'CAMM Common Spec' will be the next RAM standard for laptops. There already seems to have been a lot of progress in the background, with the v0.5 spec already approved by 20 or so companies in the task group, and JEDEC expected to finalize the v1.0 spec in the second half of this year.
[...] The new information from PC World editor Gordon Ung's chat with Tom Schnell helps us weigh up some of the pros and cons of CAMM, and point to some ways it has progressed from Dell's pre-JEDEC-approved spec. Apparently, as well as improved density (more RAM capacity in a smaller space), CAMM is amenable to "scaling to ever higher clock speeds." Specifically, the new information indicates that the DDR5-6400 'brick wall' for SO-DIMMs will be shrugged off by CAMMs.
When CAMM reaches devices, there are a couple of tech advances which could help spur its adoption. We mentioned the faster DDR5 speeds above, but it is thought that CAMM could really take off when DDR6 arrives. Another appealing variation might be for adding LPDDR(6) memory to laptops. Traditionally LPDDR memory is soldered, so the new spring contact fitting modules might mean much better upgradability for the thinnest and lightest devices which tend to use LPDDR memory.
Previously: Dell Defends its Controversial New Laptop Memory (CAMM)
(Score: 2) by driverless on Thursday January 19, @02:56AM (6 children)
It's amazing how both this site and the Other Site all managed to go on an on about CAMM without ever telling us WTF CAMM actually is (beyond some new gee-whiz magical memory). Even TFA only mentions it in the byline with no information on what it is that makes it better.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 19, @04:11AM
You must be new here.
(Score: 3, Informative) by RS3 on Thursday January 19, @08:01AM
I find many things that way- people talk about a thing, without ever telling you what it is. Major company websites are like that- they'll talk features, options, whatever, but not the very basic: what is it?
CAMM [wikipedia.org] is a new RAM (memory) module form factor, meant to replace the DIMM and SODIMM [wikipedia.org] form factors.
It has advantages over SODIMM, mainly it will support higher capacity and faster speeds.
(Score: 4, Informative) by takyon on Thursday January 19, @09:17AM
All the information you need is in the summary, and there's a previous article too.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Thursday January 19, @09:56AM (2 children)
From the "Previously" link:
No, I don't suppose that takyon knows what colour the circuit board will be or what shape of box it might be purchased in, otherwise that information might have been included in the summary. But I think that he has done a pretty good job of providing the information that most people want to know. Of course, if you still have questions then I am sure that your favourite search engine will be able to help.
(Score: 2) by driverless on Thursday January 19, @10:09AM (1 child)
Apart from the "spring contact fitting modules" the quoted text could apply to pretty much any memory technology that isn't a SO-DIMM. It's generic enough that it can be applied to almost any other new RAM tech.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Thursday January 19, @03:39PM
Is anything else actually different?
It's a new form factor, not a new memory technology.