Quick Links
The next generation of graphics card memory, GDDR7, is set to launch in 2024. Faster graphics memory is one of the keys to unlocking much faster processing for the next GPU generation, with nearly every GPU since Nvidia’s 2000 Series and AMD’s 5000 Series using either GDDR6 or GDDR6X (exclusively Nvidia GPUs).
But now, the time for newer, faster, shinier graphics card memory is almost here. So, here’s what you need to know about GDDR7, along with the improvements it’ll bring over GDDR6 and GDDR6X.
What Is GDDR7?
GDDR7 is the next generation of graphics card memory, set to launch in 2024 to boost graphics performance. GDDR7 will bring major performance upgrades, improving data throughput, increasing bandwidth, and delivering better power efficiency to ensure the next GPU generation can deliver substantial performance gains over the current GDDR6 and GDDR6X-powered units.
While it’s highly likely any new generation Nvidia or AMD GPUs will use GDDR7 memory, nothing has been confirmed as yet. However, it would provide a significant boost over the previous generations. For example, GDDR6X memory runs at a maximum capacity of 24Gbps, and GDDR6 at a maximum of 20Gbps.
GDDR7 is set to run at 32Gbps, which is a massive boost over GDDR6X—so the performance gains from the new graphics card memory are likely to be enormous (depending on other factors, mind).
But that’s not the only benefit GDDR7 will bring over its predecessors.
GDDR7 vs. GDDR6X vs. GDDR6
Now, the specs for GDDR7 aren’t speculation. JEDEC, the semiconductor standards organization, published theGDDR7 RAM specsin March 2024, confirming the new standard, so we know the specific improvements the new generation will bring.
Gbps per pin
Up to 20Gbps
Up to 24Gbps
Up to 32Gbps
Chip Density
Up to 32Gb per chip
Up to 64Gb per chip
Maximum Density
512GB with 32 chips
1TB with 32 chips
2TB with 32 chips
Up to 512GB/s (32 chip)
Up to 672GB/s (32 chip)
Up to 1024GB/s (32 chip)
Signaling Type
Voltage Levels
1.20 V (core and I/O)
Faster Data Rates
The primary benefit of GDDR7 for gaming is its exceptional speed. While GDDR6 could handle up to 20Gbps (gigabits per second) per pin and GDDR6X pushed that to 24Gbps, GDDR7 races ahead with speeds up to 32Gbps (though according toHardware LUXX, chip manufacturer SK Hynix may be working toward a 40Gbps chip!). This increase in data rate means that more data can be moved quickly between the GPU and the memory, reducing bottlenecks and ensuring smoother frame rates even in graphically intense scenarios.
For gamers, this translates to higher-resolution textures loading swiftly and reduced latency, enhancing the overall smoothness and responsiveness of gameplay.
Greater Chip Density
Chip density refers to the amount of data stored on a single memory chip. The higher the chip density, the more data the chip can hold. For instance, GDDR7 can have a chip density of up to 64Gb per chip, double the 32Gb typically seen in GDDR6X chips.
For gaming, this increased chip density translates to better performance and more efficient handling of more complex graphics. High-density chips like those in GDDR7 allow game consoles and PCs to store more texture, shading, and game data directly on the graphics card, reducing processing time.
PAM3, or three-level Pulse Amplitude Modulation, is a signaling technology used in GDDR7 to enhance the performance of graphics memory. Unlike the traditional binary signaling methods (where each signal pulse represents one of two possible values, 0 or 1), PAM3 utilizes three distinct voltage levels.
This allows each pulse to encode more information—specifically, one of three possible values (0, 1, or 2), effectively increasing the data transmission rate without a corresponding increase in the clock speed.
The adoption of PAM3 in GDDR7 facilitates significantly higher data transfer rates compared to older generations. For gamers, this means graphics are rendered more quickly and smoothly, supporting higher resolutions and more detailed visual effects with less strain on the system.
You might be surprised to learn that GDDR6X uses PAM4 encoding, which allows four different voltage levels. However, JEDEC deemed PAM3 more stable and efficient for GDDR7.
Better Power and Heat Management
GDDR7 is set to deliver significant improvements in heat and power management, both boosting efficiency.
First, GDDR7 memory uses around 20 percent less power than GDDR6, which is an instant energy efficiency saving. Second, GDDR7 uses a lower operating voltage of 1.20 volts for the core and I/O compared to the 1.35 volts typically used in GDDR6 and GDDR6X. Lower voltage levels reduce the overall power consumption, which again boosts energy efficiency.
Reducing power consumption will also help heat management, which has been an issue for some of the latest GPUs.Samsung’s GDDR7 memoryuses completely new package materials and optimized circuit designs to reduce heat generation, which should keep your hardware running at peak efficiency for longer.
When Will GDDR7 Launch?
While there is no specific GDDR7 launch date, the new memory is expected to arrive in late 2024 and early 2025. What remains to be seen is the configuration and capacity of GPUs that will launch at that time; Nvidia and AMD will likely both use GDDR7 memory, but there is no specific information at the time of writing. However, prolific leaker Kepler suggested on X that AMD’s upcoming RDNA 4 architecture (that will power its next GPUs) would still use GDDR6 memory, which would put it at a substantial disadvantage if Nvidia moves from the already more powerful GDDR6X memory to GDDR7.
Now, it’s a leak, and is speculative, but Kepler has a long history of accuracy; AMD fans had better hope it is wrong on this occasion, or Team Red will be falling even further behind Team Green.
