Intel's 3D Packaging for Mobile CPUs with Samsung LPDDR5X

On January 24, Intel officially announced the commencement of operations at its state-of-the-art Fab 9 facility located in New Mexico, USA. This facility is set to engage in the large-scale production of Foveros 3D packaging technology. Excitingly, industry reports on January 26 revealed Intel's strategic plan to integrate Foveros 3D packaging technology into its upcoming mobile platform CPU, codenamed "Lunar Lake," slated for release by the end of 2024. Notably, this CPU will incorporate LPDDR5X memory sourced from Samsung.

Foveros 3D packaging technology is a groundbreaking advancement that enhances spatial efficiency by vertically stacking chips. This innovation facilitates accelerated signal transmission between various chiplets within the processor, encompassing the CPU, GPU, and Neural Processing Unit (NPU). The ability to share high-speed memory among these components effectively overcomes traditional memory bottlenecks. The collaborative efforts between Intel and Samsung in this venture are widely recognized as a mutually beneficial partnership within the industry.

In a departure from historical practices where CPUs and GPUs utilized distinct memory types (DDR for CPUs and GDDR for GPUs), a notable trend is emerging. As mobile platforms experience increased integration, there is a growing inclination towards processors sharing memory resources. Intel and Samsung's collaboration is aligned with this industry shift. Notably, Apple's pioneering M1 chip also follows a similar approach, incorporating non-replaceable memory chips adjacent to processor cores, necessitating early-stage collaboration between chip manufacturers and memory suppliers.

Previous speculations from South Korean industry experts suggested that Intel's rapid strides in advanced wafer fabrication might potentially lead to competition for orders with Samsung. However, both companies are actively fostering a collaborative spirit for mutual benefit. Beyond the realm of DRAM memory, Intel and Samsung are making concerted efforts to promote chiplet technology. This is exemplified by their joint establishment of the Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe), an alliance dedicated to the open standardization of chiplet technology.