Intel originated as a provider of memory chips. The personal computer sector is experiencing one of its toughest shortages of memory in recent history, possibly spanning decades. This context explains why Intel is re-entering the PC memory market.
In a recent announcement, Intel revealed its collaboration with Saimemory, a startup funded by SoftBank, to create Z-Angle Memory, abbreviated as ZAM. Rather than inventing a completely novel memory type, this effort focuses on an innovative construction method for memory that may ring a bell for those following Intel's developments.
The ZAM designation refers to the 'Z height' dimension, which measures the vertical thickness in technical specifications. This approach involves layering RAM modules vertically to boost memory capacity in devices requiring DRAM, such as laptops and servers. Intel describes the technique as Next-Generation DRAM Bonding, or NGDB, which aims to lower energy use while maximizing memory within a compact space.
ZAM might serve as a high-performance substitute for high-bandwidth memory, known as HBM, which AMD integrated into its Radeon graphics processors starting in 2015. Such rapid memory solutions play a vital role in powering servers dedicated to artificial intelligence tasks.
While specifics on NGDB's capabilities remain limited from Intel, the firm introduced Foveros in 2018. This innovation built upon Intel's EMIB by adding vertical integration, enabling the stacking of logic components or the placement of memory atop logic layers. The current project advances this by layering memory directly on memory. Saimemory's efforts draw from research under the Advanced Memory Technology R&D Program, overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration via Sandia National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory, according to a joint statement from the partners.
Saimemory plans to handle the commercialization and sales of the technology, with Intel supplying the core innovations. Production facilities are set to launch this quarter, with prototype units targeted for 2027. The full commercialization timeline projects ZAM availability in 2030.
Established in 1968 as a memory-focused enterprise, Intel produced both SRAM and DRAM. Despite inventing the pioneering 4004 microprocessor, it continued DRAM sales into the 1970s before shifting emphasis to processors. Amid aggressive acquisition of memory and storage by AI data center operators, optimizing available resources could prove strategically sound, especially as the ongoing memory scarcity is expected to persist for an extended period.