Finally, LPDDR5 RAM is being used in smartphones. Xiaomi Mi 10 was the first phone to come with LPDDR5 RAM. Several other flagship phones fo 2020 come with the same LPDDr5 RAM. Now OnePlus 8 Pro also packs the same while OnePlus 8 packs previous-gen LPDDR4x that debuted in Redmi Note 5 Pro. When OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro have different RAM, several people are asking how LPDDR5 and LPDDR4x differ. So, I decided to write a dedicated article on this.
LPDDR5 vs LPDDR4x
| Generation | LPDDR4x | LPDDR5 |
| Speed | 4,266 Mbps | 6,400 Mbps |
| Channels | 2 | 1 |
| Width | x32 (2x x16) | x16 |
| Banks (Per Channel) | 8 | 16 |
| Bank Grouping | No | Yes |
| Prefetch | 16n | 16n |
| Capacity | 8GB, 12GB, 16GB, 24GB, 32GB, 48GB, 64GB, 80GB, 96GB | 12GB, 48GB |
| Architecture | 64x, 86x | 64x |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 / 1.1 / 0.6 V | 1.8 / 1.05 / 0.9 / 0.5 V |
| Use | Mobile, Automotive | Mobile, Automotive |
The 8Gb LPDDR5 boasts a data rate of up to 6,400 Mb/s that is 1.5 times faster than LPDDR4X RAM rated for 4266Mb/s data rate. With this speed, LPDDR5 can send 51.2 gigabytes (GB) of data in a second. LPDDR4x uses 32bit dual-channel architecture (2 x 16 bit). LPDDR5 switched back to a single 16-bit channel but the number of banks in each channel has been doubled from 8 to 16.
LPDDR5 chip also uses up to 30 percent less power than its predecessor due to the use of a new circuit design with enhanced clocking and a low-power feature. LPDDR5 comes with several power-saving advancements including DVFS, Deep Sleep Mode, DQ Copy, and WriteX. LPDDR5 has an operating voltage between 0.5V and 1.05V while LPDDR4x efficient when compared to the original fourth generation. It operates between 0.6V, 1.1V, and 1.8V.
It is clear that LPDDR5 is faster and more power-efficient. LPDDR5 is now available for flagship devices. Samsung Galaxy S20 Series, OnePlus 8 Pro and Mi 10 and other flagship phones of 2020 offer the same LPDDR5 RAM. Other flagships will also use the LPDDR5 Ram in 2020 and 2021. LPDDR5 is expensive, so expect the RAM only in flagship phones for now.
