A new generation of SK hynix DDR5 memory chips has surfaced online, reportedly marking the debut of second-generation 3 GB A-die ICs. First shown by Team Group's Kevin Wu on Facebook, the chip carries the X021 marking and "AKBD" part code. According to leaker @unikoshardware, the X021 label identifies it as the successor to the 3 GB M-die used in early DDR5 modules. Based on SK hynix's internal binning scheme, the "KB" designation in AKBD likely corresponds to a native 7200 MT/s JEDEC speed following the company's established progression from "EB" (4800 MT/s) through "HB" (6400 MT/s). This new bin suggests SK hynix is preparing faster DDR5 ICs aimed at next-generation Intel platforms, with Panther Lake and Arrow Lake Refresh expected to support up to DDR5-7200.

The sample shown reportedly uses an 8-layer PCB, which could limit headroom for extreme overclocking beyond 8000 MT/s. To fully exploit the new A-die's potential, manufacturers are expected to move to 10 or 12-layer PCBs for greater signal integrity. While SK hynix has yet to officially unveil the part, this early appearance of the 3 GB A-die AKBD hints that production may already be underway. To add some background, Samsung was reigning supreme in the DDR4 days with high-end memory modules pretty much always having Samsung's hand-picked B-die chips. However, things have changed in the DDR5 world with SK hynix taking the lead with its A-die and M-die chips grabbing all the attention.