With Razor Lake AX, Intel could well be celebrating the great return of package memory, a configuration that the blueprints gave up on after Lunar Lake. There are many reasons for this, including a complex supply chain and integration difficulties. But times are changing, and the company may well return to this method for its future CPUs!
Razor Lake AX: memory back in the package ?
A method that boost iGPU performance!
Broadly speaking, with Lunar Lake, Intel offered processors equipped with memory modules directly integrated into the CPU package. This not only reduces memory latency and improves bandwidth thanks to LPDDR5X-8533 memory, but also simplifies motherboard design. On the other hand, the company has hit a brick wall: supply chain dependency and integration complexity in particular. On a wide range of CPUs, the approach was difficult to maintain.
But, with AMD gaining more and more ground, it’s a method that seems to be seducing the company once again. Indeed, the role of this range of AX CPUs will be to compete with the big APUs from the reds, such as those from the Strix Halo range. The Xe iGPU therefore needs to be able to breathe with a high memory bandwidth and low latency. Therefore, fast LPDDR5X , or even LPDDR6, depending on current availability, may make sense. As for integration, Intel has now mastered the necessary technologies, such as EMIB and Foveros 3D.
And why not HBM ?
We can go even further when it comes to memory bandwidth, as there are rumours that Intel might opt for HBM. This type of memory has already been seen in an Intel CPU, back in 2018 with the Kaby Lake range (Core i7-8809G for example). At the time, the company was working with AMD to integrate RX Vega M GH iGPUs into its CPUs. This memory was then coupled with a 4 GB HBM2 stack. The only thing that will determine a company’s choice is available memory stocks and prices.
