Thread

Samsung is expected to more than double output of its HBM4 and HBM4E DRAM

562 points · 458 comments · giuliomagnifico

fooker · 1789929721 · focus · HN ↗
What's the main blocker (other than the current inflated cost) for using HBM instead of DRAM as the primary memory for consumer electronics?
1. nutjob2 · 1789930193 · focus · HN ↗
  Nothing except CPU manufacturer choices. Mac laptops use it and they're consumer products.
  People will have to get used to buying a fixed amount of RAM with their CPU but thats unlikely to be a problem.
  1. fooker · 1789930550 · focus · HN ↗
    Apple's "unified memory" marketing is so strong that even tech literate people seem to have this misconception!
    They have managed to pull this sort of thing off many many times. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_distortion_field" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_distortion_field
    Rohansi · 1789931691 · focus · HN ↗
    Yup, the only reason Macs have higher memory bandwidth is because they use more memory channels, which gives them a wider bus. Both Intel and AMD only allow more than dual channel memory on server class processors these days.
    PunchyHamster · 1789944131 · focus · HN ↗
    Threadripper have that extra bandwidth and M5 still is faster
    Dylan16807 · 1789953772 · focus · HN ↗
    Can you link a specific benchmark?
    Keep in mind that non-Pro threadripper is still only 256 bits wide and Pro is 512. And the memory is 30% slower than with an M5. So an M5 Ultra has 3x the memory bandwidth of the best threadripper.
    Melatonic · 1789979375 · focus · HN ↗
    Don't some AMD full server CPUs have 12 memory channels ?
    Dylan16807 · 1790000667 · focus · HN ↗
    Yes, some do. So similar bandwidth to a Max but with lots of slower cores. Half as much as an Ultra.

Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.