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This is a misconception; the RAM is not integrated into the SoC, it’s standard off-the-shelf LPDDR4X (M1) or LPDDR5 (M2/M3), soldered right next to the SoC. The
by angoragoats 3y ago
This is a misconception; the RAM is not integrated into the SoC, it’s standard off-the-shelf LPDDR4X (M1) or LPDDR5 (M2/M3), soldered right next to the SoC. The SSD is usually soldered or even socketed in a proprietary connector (in the case of the Mac Studio or Pro and maybe others), somewhere on the main board, just like a PC.
- chorsestudios 3y agoIs this statement true? In this die shot of the M1 Max the RAM appears to be integrated into the SoC https://images.anandtech.com/doci/17019/M1MAX.jpg https://images.anandtech.com/doci/17019/M1MAX.jpg
- addaon 3y agoWhat you're seeing there labelled LPDDR5 is the memory /controllers/, not the memory itself. The silicon area for the amount of DRAM we're talking about would dwarf the IC you're looking at -- and the 3 nm process that the logic is made on is not compatible with deep-well capacitors used for DRAM. There's a significant amount of SRAM on the chip (the SLC blocks, and many other cache blocks), but orders of magnitude less than the external DRAM we're discussing.
- chorsestudios 3y agoThank you for this information, exactly what I was looking for
- rasz 3y agoTo be precise RAM is soldered on top of SoC in a PoP package. SSD is a proprietary PCIE NAND with signed firmware.
- angoragoats 3y ago> To be precise RAM is soldered on top of SoC in a PoP package. No, it’s not. A stacked PoP (not “PoP package,” that’s redundant) is used for recent A-series mobile CPUs, but on M1/M2/M3 the memory is soldered on a PCB directly adjacent to the CPU. This allows for better heat dissipation and therefore higher clock speeds and memory bandwidth.