The server and data centre market is moving towards DDR5 MRDIMM modules because ordinary RDIMMs are starting to look a bit knackered.
According to the Component Club, first-generation MRDIMMs are already out there, offering speeds north of 8,000 MT/s.
Intel will be among the first to support 8,800 MT/s MRDIMMs on its Xeon 6 platforms. After that, Chipzilla will have to watch AMD push towards 12,800 MT/s MRDIMM support.
Second-generation MRDIMM RAM is already in full production, with Innodisk listing modules running at 12,800 MT/s. The speeds come from MRCD and MDB technologies, which help squeeze a 60 per cent bandwidth uplift over DDR5-8000 RDIMMs.
The Innodisk modules keep the same compact design and work with DDR5 slots, which means server makers do not need to rip everything up yet. Capacities include 32GB, 48GB, 64GB, 96GB and 128GB, with ECC and a 1.1V operating voltage.
Micron has listed its own second-generation MRDIMM kit running at up to 14,400 MT/s. That claims an 80 per cent lift over DDR5-8000 RDIMMs, with CL58 timings, 1.1V operation and 24Gb ICs for 96GB modules.
Renesas is already banging the drum for third-generation MRDIMM chipsets capable of 16,000 MT/s. That is a 25 per cent bandwidth jump over second-generation kit, because apparently data centres are now bottomless pits with power sockets.
The company said its third-generation DDR5 MRDIMM chipset targets AI data centres, cloud infrastructure and accelerated compute workloads. In less PR-polished English, AI servers are hungry and memory bandwidth is lunch.
AMD is expected to be a key customer for third-generation MRDIMM gear. Its Zen 6 Venice and Verano platforms already point to DDR5-12800 MRDIMMs, with Zen 7 Florence likely to go further.
AMD corporate vice president, compute and enterprise AI platform solutions engineering, Amit Goel said: “AMD has a long history of supporting open, standards-based technologies that power data centre innovation and deliver greater flexibility as AI and HPC workloads continue to evolve. Innovations in next-generation memory form factors such as MRDIMM and Renesas’ chipset are important to helping the industry deliver higher bandwidth, greater efficiency and continued platform scalability.”
Renesas said its Gen 3 MRDIMM MRCD and MDB parts are already sampling to selected customers. Production availability is expected in the second half of 2027, which is about five minutes away in server roadmap time.
