[Edaily Reporter SOYEON KIM ] China’s Changxin Memory (CXMT) has entered the final stages of research and development (R&D) for LPDDR6, the next-generation low-power DRAM. Observers say China has raised its technological capabilities to a level where it can pose a threat to SamsungElectronics and SK hynix in the low-power DRAM market.

According to industry sources and Chinese media reports on the 2nd, CXMT has entered the final stage of LPDDR6 development verification and is counting down to mass production in the second half of the year. This timeline is nearly on par with that of SamsungElectronics and SK hynix for LPDDR6 mass production. Following the launch of LPDDR5 in 2023 and LPDDR5X late last year, CXMT has now entered the sample supply phase for LPDDR6.

The application scope of LPDDR is rapidly expanding beyond mobile devices to include certain low-power servers, artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators, and edge data centers. Since connecting multiple LPDDR modules in parallel alongside a graphics processing unit (GPU) can increase bandwidth, there is even speculation that it could partially replace high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in certain AI inference and high-performance graphics applications.

Unable to secure extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment due to U.S. sanctions, China is instead utilizing deep ultraviolet (DUV)-based multi-patterning technology. CXMT’s entry into the LPDDR DRAM speed race is an attempt to narrow the technology gap through LPDDR—which is relatively easier to develop and mass-produce—as HBM mass production could be delayed without EUV lithography equipment. Currently, China is mass-producing HBM2E, which lags far behind K-Memory. It is pursuing its semiconductor ambitions with the mindset of “making do with what you have.” China is expected to accelerate the development of its ecosystem by supplying these products primarily to domestic smartphone manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo.

However, even among LPDDR6 products, a technological gap still exists. For instance, products from SamsungElectronics and SK hynix support speeds of up to 14.4 Gbps (gigabits per second), while CXMT’s products are limited to a maximum of 12.8 Gbps.

Kim Hyung-jun, head of the Next-Generation Intelligent Semiconductor Business Division (Professor Emeritus at Seoul National University), stated, “There is a possibility that Chinese companies will encroach on the general-purpose memory market in the future,” adding, “Domestic companies must secure cutting-edge technologies (in the next-generation memory sector) faster than the pace at which China is catching up to maintain their competitive edge.”