MSI on Thursday printed the primary picture of a brand new desktop motherboard that helps the modern DDR5 compression connected reminiscence module (CAMM2). DDR5 CAMM2 modules are designed to enhance upon the SO-DIMM type issue used for laptops, assuaging among the high-speed signaling and capability limitations of SO-DIMMs whereas additionally shaving down on the quantity of area required. And whereas we’re eagerly awaiting to see CAMM2 present up in additional laptops, its introduction in a PC motherboard comes as a little bit of a shock, since PCs aren’t practically as space-constrained.
MSI’s Z790 Project Zero Plus motherboard, which helps Intel’s newest 14th Generation Core processors, is to a big diploma a proof-of-concept product that’s showcasing a number of new applied sciences and atypical configuration choices. Key amongst these, in fact, is the CAMM2 connector. The single connector helps a 128-bit DDR5 reminiscence bus, permitting for a system to be absolutely populated with RAM with only a single, horizontally-mounted CAMM2 module. And by way of design, the Zero Plus additionally options bottom energy connectors for improved cable administration.
CAMM2 is designed to exchange conventional modules in an SO-DIMM form-factor and is supposed to occupy as much as 64% much less area than two DDR5 SO-DIMMs. In addition, CAMM2 drastically optimizes sign and energy traces contained in the motherboard, primarily by guaranteeing all reminiscence hint lengths are similar, decreasing among the signaling penalties that usually come from supporting a number of SO-DIMM slots in a system. With DDR5 being notably delicate right here – to the purpose the place 2 DIMM Per Channel (2DPC) configurations take a max frequency hit even on desktop programs – CAMM2 modules are anticipated to simplify and, to a level, enhance laptop computer designs to higher match DDR5’s limitations.
Though whether or not CAMM2 sees widespread adoption stays to be seen. Unlike it is LPDDR5X counterpart, LPCAMM2, DDR5 CAMM2 hasn’t attracted the identical curiosity from laptop computer distributors fairly but, largely as a result of it does not introduce any new performance (e.g. socketed LPDDR5X).
Meanwhile CAMM2 in ATX desktops is all however unexplored proper now, which is why we’re seeing experimental merchandise like MSI’s motherboard. The area financial savings alone aren’t as vital in desktops on account of their measurement – although CAMM2 does lower down on Z-height, protecting reminiscence away from CPU coolers. But PC makers will probably be different elements resembling stock, as equipping desktop boards with CAMM2 connectors would enable them to make use of the identical reminiscence modules in each laptops and desktops. And long term there may be the query of whether or not CAMM2 can ship tangible signaling advantages over conventional DIMMs.
MSI plans to showcase its Z790 Project Zero Plus platform at Computex, alongside reminiscence accomplice Kingston. The latter will probably be on the present to display its Fury Impact CAMM2 reminiscence module, which is without doubt one of the first DDR5 CAMM2 modules to be introduced.
