Samsung reported that it has shipped the world's first (and smallest) high-density 16 GB DDR3 module.

Late last night, Samsung Electronics said that it released the world's first (and smallest) high-density memory modules based on 2 Gb, 50nm-class DDR3 memory. The shipment comes in sixteen different flavors, mainly designed for servers, and includes a 16 GB registered inline memory module (RIMM), an 8 GB registered dual inline memory module (RDIMM), and more. Additionally, the 16 GB high-density module operates at 1066 MHz, and you'll be able to install up to 192 GB of total memory density for a 2-socket CPU server system. Samsung's 16 RDIMM offering even sports a spiffy dual-die package configuration, making it more efficient in cost and performance when compared to the quad-die configuration.

The company also said that it's the first to offer 16 GB RDIMMs operating at 1.35V as well. By comparison, Samsung's 1.35V contribution provides around 20 percent savings in power consumption over the other 1.5V DDR3 versions. "The 2 Gb DDR3 [chips] consumes at least 40 percent less power than 1 Gb configurations," the company said, "supporting strong industry demand for lower power consumption, which is particularly important with server systems, as well as the new generation of notebooks."

Market Research firm IDC also chimed in on Samsung's announcement this morning, reporting that the global DDR3 market is expected to reach 29 percent of the total DRAM market in 2009 and increase to 75 percent in 2011. IDC also reports that 2 Gbit DDR3 devices will seize 3 percent of the total DDR3 market in 2009, with their share growing to 33 percent in 2011.

Times have certainly been rough for the memory industry, especially where DRAM is concerned. Many analysts believe that DDR3--the third generation of double-data rate synchronous memory-- will come in and save the industry like some kind of Messiah, pulling the DRAM architecture out of a deepening financial pit stemming long before the global economic crisis came along and made matters worse.

Samsung originally introduced a 50nm-class 2 Gbit DDR3 chips for PC applications last September.

Source : Tom's Hardware US