Fake RAM Crisis (M3U vs M5U)

[MiamiFL]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet but what everyone seems to be ignoring is that the M3U Studio uses different RAM (LPDDR5-6400) than the M5U Studio would use (LPDDR5X), so the only thing that the discontinuation of the M3U 512 GB config means is that they're running out of the old RAM variant supply. The LPDDR5X RAM in the upcoming M5U is expected to have a 22-50% bandwidth increase over the M3U's LPDDR5-6400 RAM.

Add to that, the M5 products that have already launched with the new LPDDR5X RAM, didn't face any decreased max RAM amount with some even increasing, and there are no significant fulfillment delays, so Apple in on top of this despite what all the alarmists would have you believe. Tim Cook might not be great at delivering innovation but that little bean counter is a supply chain genius.

The new M5U Studio will either cap out at 512 GB or increase to 768 GB / 1 TB.

 

[chars1ub0w]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet but what everyone seems to be ignoring is that the M3U Studio uses different RAM (LPDDR5-6400) than the M5U Studio would use (LPDDR5X)

I mentioned it on Sunday.

Since there are already LPDDR6 announcements this year, it's maybe possible that the upcoming M6 will use these much faster than LPDDR5X chips. RAM memory bandwidth is very important for memory intensive operations.
LPDDR6:
First, the interface has been increased from 16 bits channel width to 24 bits. That's going to make a significant difference.
Second, speed-wise, LDDDR5X tops out at 10.7Gbps, LPDDR6 have 14.4Gbps announcements already.

 

[chars1ub0w]

Then there is the surprising news that LPDDR6X (the generation after LPDDR6) is already being sampled and sent to Qualcomm. I think the pinout is the same, but of course at speeds beyond the design specification of LPDDR6 (14.4Gbps).

So, all of a sudden, memory is about to get way faster than current generation (M5 tech).

 

[MiamiFL]

I mentioned it on Sunday.
View attachment 2622427
Since there are already LPDDR6 announcements this year, it's maybe possible that the upcoming M6 will use these much faster than LPDDR5X chips. RAM memory bandwidth is very important for memory intensive operations.
LPDDR6:
First, the interface has been increased from 16 bits channel width to 24 bits. That's going to make a significant difference.
Second, speed-wise, LDDDR5X tops out at 10.7Gbps, LPDDR6 have 14.4Gbps announcements already.

Missed this, good call.

 

[herp]

Curious to see if Apple pushes the top end M5U up towards the DGX station territory (if the Studio form factor has the thermal headroom). There is a void left with the Mac Pro being retired. The DGX Studio having 748 GB RAM, could the M5U have more dense RAM packages and double the existing 512GB to 1TB RAM?

 

[herp]

Also - what would this push pricing to?

2,000 M5 Max starting price
2,000 Ultra processor
2,000 Ultra upgrade
10,000 768GB/1TB RAM upgrade

$16k before storage upgrade?

 

[MiamiFL]

Also - what would this push pricing to?

2,000 M5 Max starting price
2,000 Ultra processor
2,000 Ultra upgrade
10,000 768GB/1TB RAM upgrade

$16k before storage upgrade?

I think the M5U with 512 GB will be something more than the M3U 512 GB $10K but less than $15K. I predict maybe $1000-2000 premium for the 512 GB M5U variant vs the M3U equivalent.

 

[philipma1957]

hmm 1tb of ram that would be quite the machine. The most powerful machine I used was an and thread ripper with 128gb ram