SK Hynix has just confirmed that high-end graphics card based on GDDR6 technology will be available in early 2018.

NVIDIA Volta with GDDR6 in early 2018?

First things first, how do we know it’s Volta? Obviously, we don’t know, but since Vega is not here yet, chances for Vega successor in early 2018 are close to zero. The statement from Hynix could also mean other architectures, like Pascal Refresh. There is simply no way to be sure at this time. Yet still, a high-end graphics card with 384-bit interface… sounds oddly familiar to NVIDIA specs for almost all high-end products.

The official press release says:

SK Hynix Inc.today introduced the world’s fastest 2Znm 8Gb(Gigabit) GDDR6(Graphics DDR6) DRAM. The product operates with an I/O data rate of 16Gbps(Gigabits per second) per pin, which is the industry’s fastest. With a forthcoming high-end graphics card of 384-bit I/Os, this DRAM processes up to 768GB(Gigabytes) of graphics data per second. SK Hynix has been planning to mass produce the product for a client to release high-end graphics card by early 2018 equipped with high performance GDDR6 DRAMs.

The new memory type would replace GDDR5 and GDDR5X by providing much higher data rates (up to 16 Gbps) while operating at a lower voltage.

What we don’t know is whether this product will be for gaming or professional market, although ‘high performance gaming machines’ are mentioned.

This press release is very important to all graphics cards enthusiasts. It means that products based on even faster memory technology are not as far away as we thought. The GDDR6 will also allow board partners to provide different memory configurations by providing higher clocks, different module layout, and above all, reduce the cost of new cards, because GDDR technology is still much cheaper than HBM.

NVIDIA High-end Graphics Card Solutions VideoCardz.com NVIDIA Pascal (2017) NVIDIA Volta (2018) Memory Bus Width 384-bit 384-bit Memory Type GDDR5X GDDR6 Memory Bandwidth up to 548 GB/s up to 768 GB/s

FULL PRESS RELEASE

Seoul, April 23, 2017 – SK Hynix Inc. (or ‘the Company’, www.skhynix.com) today introduced the world’s fastest 2Znm 8Gb(Gigabit) GDDR6(Graphics DDR6) DRAM. The product operates with an I/O data rate of 16Gbps(Gigabits per second) per pin, which is the industry’s fastest. With a forthcoming high-end graphics card of 384-bit I/Os, this DRAM processes up to 768GB(Gigabytes) of graphics data per second. SK Hynix has been planning to mass produce the product for a client to release high-end graphics card by early 2018 equipped with high performance GDDR6 DRAMs.

GDDR is specialized DRAM for processing an extensive amount of graphics data quickly according to what graphics cards command in PCs, workstations, video players and high performance gaming machines. Especially, GDDR6 is a next generation graphics solution under development of standards at JEDEC, which runs twice as fast as GDDR5 having 10% lower operation voltage. As a result, it is expected to speedily substitute for GDDR5 and GDDR5X. SK Hynix has been collaborating with a core graphics chipset client to timely mass produce the GDDR6 for the upcoming market demands.

“With the introduction of this industry’s fastest GDDR6, SK Hynix will actively respond to high quality, high performance graphics memory solutions market” said senior vice president Jonghoon Oh, the Head of DRAM Product Development Division. “The Company would help our clients enhance their performance of high-end graphics cards” he added.

GDDR6 is regarded as one of necessary memory solutions in growing industries such as AI(Artificial Intelligence), VR(Virtual Reality), self-driving cars, and high-definition displays over 4K to support their visualization. According to Gartner, average graphics DRAM density in graphics cards is to be 2.2GB this year and 4.1GB in 2021 with CAGR of 17%.