{
  "id": 3404166,
  "title": "Samsung Unveils Processing DRAM as HBM Alternative",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/samsung-unveils-processing-dram-as-hbm-alternative",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-26T02:30:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BusinessKorea",
    "slug": "businesskorea",
    "url": "https://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=275535"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Samsung Electronics showcased the world's first low-power DRAM with built-in processing capabilities, LPDDR5X-PIM, at Hot Chips 2026 in California on August 25. LPDDR5X-PIM merges low-power DRAM with Processing-In-Memory (PIM) technology, allowing data processing within the memory itself. This innovation reduces the need for data movement between central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs) and enhances memory bandwidth and power efficiency. The LPDDR5X-PIM boasts a capacity of 16 gigabytes and offers a PIM bandwidth of 614 gigabytes per second, which is eight times greater than conventional DRAM's 76.8GB per second. Samsung achieved this higher bandwidth by integrating PIM blocks into all 16 banks of the DRAM. Performance improvements were observed in an actual AI operating environment, with processing time reduced from 12.3 seconds to 5.4 seconds using Meta's large language model, Llama 3.1, and throughput increased to 81.3 tokens per second from 27 TPS. This demonstrates the performance gains achieved by applying PIM to AI inference. As memory prices rise and memory becomes an increasingly significant portion of AI accelerator costs (which reached 63% in Q4 2023 from 52% in Q1 2024), LPDDR5X-PIM's technology is gaining attention. Developed with compatibility with existing systems in mind, LPDDR5X-PIM adheres to JEDEC package standards, ensuring it can be used with current LPDDR5-based systems. This compatibility is seen as crucial for the commercialization of PIM technology. Samsung envisions LPDDR5X-PIM's applicability in servers, mobile devices, on-device AI, and edge AI applications. Competitors SK hynix and Micron are also set to introduce PIM technology in the next-generation LPDDR6, indicating that competition over this technology is likely to intensify. Samsung is currently providing software development kits and simulators to foster the PIM ecosystem and is working towards standardizing LPDDR6-PIM, the upcoming version of the technology.",
  "summary": "Memory chips are moving beyond simply storing data as technologies that allow them to perform computations themselves gain attention. Samsung Electronics unveiled detailed architecture and validation results for LPDDR5X-PIM, the world's first low-power DRAM with built-in processing capabilities, at",
  "key_points": [
    "Samsung introduces LPDDR5X-PIM, first low-power DRAM with built-in processing.",
    "LPDDR5X-PIM achieves 614GB/s PIM bandwidth, eight times higher than conventional DRAM.",
    "Performance gains demonstrated in AI inference, reducing processing time by 55%."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Samsung's introduction of LPDDR5X-PIM, a low-power DRAM with built-in processing capabilities, shifts the balance in AI accelerator costs by reducing reliance on CPUs and GPUs, gaining an edge over competitors.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}