The JEDEC organization gave a free pass to the arrival of CAMM (Compression memory module), a new laptop memory design proposed by Dell that could eventually replace the SODIMM format Used for the last 25 years.

An industry group that approves memory for electronic products, among other things, approved the 0.5 specification of this new format. Version 1.0 of the standard could be developed in the second half of 2023, and from then on the first solutions would be launched on the market, although they may differ from the original design, but the concept can be extended by all manufacturers.

What is CAMM?

Yippee a new type of removable memory capable of providing higher capacity and higher clock rates while occupying a smaller thickness, which is the most important dimension in increasingly thin notebooks. He suggested it Dell last year and the JEDEC approval anticipates that it will become a standard in the future.

It must be said that RAM (Random Access Memory) is a vital part of any computer, and its application in laptops has been done using SODIMM modules in recent decades, although more and more ultra-thin computers have decided to use soldered LPDDR. memoirs. to a motherboard that has lost the ability to update. The performance of SODIMMs is also quickly approaching what they say “brick wall”which happens when they reach the DDR5/6400 standard.

CAMM intends to overcome this problem in the notebooks of the future. On the one hand, they support higher speeds, so they should have no problem using the upcoming DDR6 interface. Its high capacity would be guaranteed even with the possibility of assembly 128 GB. Last but not least, it is the design that reduces thickness by 57% SODIMM module. Although it is longer and wider, this is a big advantage for laptops.

In addition, this format can be equipped with both DDR and LPDDR memories, which will allow PC manufacturers greater flexibility and memory utilization with low power consumption generation without sacrificing repairability and upgradeability, as the CAM is removable and therefore replaceable.

CAMM will be an open standard

When Dell introduced this memory for some Precision models, there was some controversy over whether it was a proprietary format. The company ruled out that this was its intention. “We’re part of the PC industry and it’s based on an ecosystem of partners where all vendors feed off each other”, assured Dell engineer Tom Schnell, one of the main suppliers. Now that JEDEC has adopted it, the debate is over.

Since the final spec is far from complete, Schnell outlined some possible paths for CAMM as it (eventually) replaces SO-DIMMs. DDR6 is the obvious way to go, but PC and memory module manufacturers will still need time to build hardware, and such transitions could take several years. The downside, as with most new technology standards, is that will not be backwards compatible with current motherboards and modules.