JEDEC Announces CAMM Common Spec as Future Laptop Memory Standard: The “CAMM Common Spec” will formally become the new RAM module standard for laptops, according to memory regulator JEDEC.
Dell Senior Distinguished Engineer and JEDEC committee member, Tom Schnell, has announced that JEDEC, the memory regulator, is developing a new spec to replace the 25-year-old SO-DIMMs, which will be known as the CAMM Common Spec.
The CAMM standard is based on Dell’s CAMM design from last year, which JEDEC is modifying in collaboration with other companies.
JEDEC, which is involved in memory standards across various industries, has quickly adopted the new hardware standard without any arguments or delays.
Schnell reported that the 20 task group companies involved in the development unanimously voted for the 0.5 requirement.
The final 1.0 spec is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023, and CAMM-based products will be released next year.
Although it is unclear which companies voted for it, JEDEC’s task group includes suppliers of SoCs, connectors, and OEMs who unanimously approved the CAMM Common Standard.
Dell introduced its CAMM design in April 2022 as a replacement for the aging SO-DIMM design in most gaming and workstation laptops.
The CAMM design improves memory density and clock rates, which may help overcome the limitations of laptops’ DDR5/6400 SO-DIMMs.
Schnell has stated that the CAMM spec is not yet finalized, but the first JEDEC CAMM modules are expected to replace SO-DIMMs at 6400.
With the JEDEC CAMM Common Spec, laptops will soon be able to enjoy a new and improved RAM module standard.
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Dell’s CAMM Misunderstanding
Dell initially misunderstood the CAMM Common Standard as a proprietary specification that would restrict consumers to a specific design.
However, Dell denies this was its intention, and the swift approval of the standard seems to support that. Tom Schnell, a Dell Senior Distinguished Engineer and a member of the JEDEC committee, dealt with those concerns during the adoption process.
Schnell said, “Dell is a huge corporation. We don’t keep the lights on because we earn patent royalties. We want to recover the cost of inventing and implementing it.”
However, the PC industry does not operate in isolation. “We are part of the PC industry, and the PC industry is made up of an ecosystem of partners, suppliers, all contributing,” Schnell said. “Dell does a lot of innovation, but we also do a lot of integration.
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Potential Paths for CAMM: LPDDR6 or DDR6?
Schnell outlined potential paths for CAMM as it replaces SO-DIMM. He stated that while an LPDDR6 module is a possibility, DDR6 is the obvious choice.
LPDDR, or low-power DDR RAM, has long been favored for smaller and thinner laptops and phones due to its power-saving capabilities.
However, it has traditionally only been applied as soldered-on. Schnell envisions a CAMM variant that offers the performance and power advantages of LPDDR in a swappable and upgradeable module. With JEDEC’s adoption of CAMM, this future is getting closer.
FAQs
Which laptops are CAMM-compatible?
As of 2023, only two laptop models, the Dell Precision 7670 and 7770 Workstations, support CAMM.
Dell CAMM memory: what is it?
Engineer Tom Schnell created the Compression Attached Memory Module (CAMM) at Dell as a substitute for the 25-year-old SO-DIMM memory module. In 2022, the Dell Precision 7000-series laptops were the first to use it. The module is connected to the motherboard using a configuration similar to a land grid array.
What advantages does CAMM memory have?
Due to the architecture, the traces that serve as channels on the mainboard for the RAM to connect with the CPU can be substantially shorter with CAMM than with SO-DIMM. Shorter electrical paths return board space to engineers while using less energy and achieving better speeds.
CAMM interface: what is it?
CAMM was created specifically to enable laptops with both faster memory and smaller profiles, bypassing the aforementioned performance limitations of SODIMM while reducing both Z height and routing traces on the PCB.
Who produces the CAMM memory?
Tom Schnell, a Dell developer, created CAMM internally at the company in the early 2000s to address SO-DIMM, the standard memory form factor, and its problems. We just had a private conversation with Schnell to learn more about CAMM’s functionality, necessity, and benefits.
Which laptops are CAMM-compatible?
As of 2023, the only two laptop models that support CAMM are the Dell Precision 7670 and 7770 Workstations.
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