Stacked memory, just not HBM but GDDR
“G” used to stand for “Graphics”.
Micron is reportedly developing a vertically stacked GDDR memory product , according to a new report from ETNews. The Korean outlet says the company has started work on the new design, plans to install related equipment, and could begin process testing in the second half of this year. ETNews also says early versions may use around four layers, with samples possibly arriving next year.
The report points to AI accelerators as the main target, not gaming cards, especially systems that need more bandwidth and capacity than standard GDDR can offer, but do not require full HBM-class packaging. That would place stacked GDDR somewhere between conventional graphics memory and HBM in both cost and performance, at least if Micron can make yields, thermals, and power use work at scale. ETNews says there is still no mass-production precedent for stacked GDDR, which leaves those questions open for now.
Source: Micron
Micron has not publicly announced a stacked GDDR product yet, so this remains a report rather than a confirmed launch plan. Still, the idea fits Micron’s broader messaging around GDDR7. The company says its current GDDR7 is aimed at AI, gaming, and high-performance computing, with speeds up to 32 Gb/s and system bandwidth above 1.5 TB/s on a 384-bit bus.
Should the AI bubble burst before Micron ships this new product, perhaps someone will find a way to use it in consumer graphics cards. It would not only increase capacity per module, but also reduce PCB footprint. The report does not mention whether the stacked GDDR memory uses GDDR6 or GDDR7 specifications though.
Source: ETNews
