CAMM2 RAM for desktops? What is the future for SO-DIMM DDR5?

[ss88]

Saw some Youtube videos talking about mobos for Intel 15th gen CPU, and the boards discussed have CAMM2 RAM, so now I'm wondering what the future is for SO-DIMM DDR5? DDR4 had a very long run, but maybe SO-DIMM DDR5 will die an early death?

 

[dogDAbone]

As I understand it, CAMM2 was originally a concept designed for lappies, given the flat, space-saving mounting method, and we all know that space is a valid concern in lappies. However, IF, and this is a big IF, they can make it run as cool or cooler, and as fast or faster than DDR 4, then it should be a real winner overall...

However, I have also seen those reports of it being used in some newer concept mobo's for desktops as well, so if that happens, I think it would probably be adopted as a standard fairly quickly....

But of course, cost is always an issue too, and most of the time, anything coming out as the "latest & greatest" usually carries a price premium with it, at least until it's production ramps up & it starts to sell well, so we'll have to wait & see what happens, but I'm all for it as long as it delivers on it's promises...

and how this will affect so-dimms is not known at this point.

 

[toast0]

However, IF, and this is a big IF, they can make it run as cool or cooler, and as fast or faster than DDR 4, then it should be a real winner overall...

It's the same RAM with a different connector. It's gonna be the same speed, maybe a smidge faster if the connector is really better and lets you run faster.

That said, for desktops, I think the issue is these use a lot of horizontal space (parallel to the motherboard) versus a conventional dimm slot, and there's not a lot of room for that, so probably only a single slot (not as bad as it sounds, because camm2 modules can be dual channel, but requires upgrade at once rather than starting with 2 dimms and later buying 2 more on a 4 slot board). I can't tell if camm2 has chips on both sides or only on top? If only on top, it should cool better than tightly packed dimms.

 

[dogDAbone]

It's the same RAM with a different connector. It's gonna be the same speed, maybe a smidge faster if the connector is really better and lets you run faster.

That said, for desktops, I think the issue is these use a lot of horizontal space (parallel to the motherboard) versus a conventional dimm slot, and there's not a lot of room for that, so probably only a single slot (not as bad as it sounds, because camm2 modules can be dual channel, but requires upgrade at once rather than starting with 2 dimms and later buying 2 more on a 4 slot board). I can't tell if camm2 has chips on both sides or only on top? If only on top, it should cool better than tightly packed dimms.

Yes, I think it will be a toss-up between making more room for CPU coolers that won't have to have the heat pipes & fins with that silly up-cut to avoid the vertical ram sticks, and the horizontal plane, which will be a little larger since the wiring connectors are moving to the back of the mobo.... and based on the pics I have seen, CAMM's are mounted really close to the mobo surface, so there may or may not be room for dual-sided sticks....

But I agree that there should be more than 1 slot so that capacity won't be limited or having to toss an existing stick to replace it with a larger one...

 

[criccio]

but requires upgrade at once rather than starting with 2 dimms and later buying 2 more on a 4 slot board)

Which in the realm of DDR5 where you can (currently) get 96GB across only two DIMM's is a concept that needs to die. 4x DIMM's is a pain in the ass in the first place.