Third-Generation HBM Could Enable Graphics Cards with 64GB Memory

[btarunr]

One of the first drafts of the HBM3 specification reveals that the standard could enable graphics cards with up to 64 GB of video memory. The HBM2 memory, which is yet to make its consumer graphics debut, caps out at 32 GB, and the first-generation HBM, which released with the AMD Radeon Fury series, at just 4 GB.

What's more, HBM3 doubles bandwidth over HBM2, pushing up to 512 GB/s per stack. A 4096-bit HBM3 equipped GPU could have up to 2 TB/s (yes, terabytes per second) of memory bandwidth at its disposal. SK Hynix, one of the key proponents of the HBM standard, even claims that HBM3 will be both more energy-efficient and cost-effective than existing memory standards, for the performance on offer. Some of the first HBM3 implementations could come from the HPC industry, with consumer implementations including game consoles, graphics cards, TVs, etc., following later.



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[RejZoR]

4GB was a bit on the limit, but 32GB is plenty for several generations of graphic cards. I mean, HBM hasn't even hit the mainstream cards yet, meaning we have years to come with HBM2 alone till we even reach 16GB, let alone 24GB or 32GB...

 

[ZoneDymo]

Tech moves quickly though, who knows how fast we will "need" this

 

[Deeveo]

They can propably provide different configurations depending on amount of bandwidth/memory size needed.

 

[chaosmassive]

32 GB of memory have nothing to do with gaming gpu
unless for CAD app and workstation, unless some very very niche GPU
that used for both world (gaming and workstation)

 

[Xajel]

32 GB of memory have nothing to do with gaming gpu
unless for CAD app and workstation, unless some very very niche GPU
that used for both world (gaming and workstation)

Just wait few years, and 32GB will be the standard for high-end GPU's

Just before 6 years, the high-end cards came with 1.5~3GB... now you have 8GB, that's 2.67x to 5.33x times in 6 years..

If the progress was the same, then after 6 years, you might find 24GB~32/40GB.. thought I guess it will be closer to 24GB by then...

 

[Caring1]

Make it non-volatile and add a Co-Processor to the GPU, then we only need change one component to upgrade and we can do away with DIMM slots.

 

[$ReaPeR$]

this is like RAM to me, for example, CPU's can support 128 GB of ram but almost noone uses that amount in the consumer world. i think it will be the same with HBM3, it will be able to support up to 64 GB, but in the consumer market, i don't think we will see more than 16 GB anytime soon. having one standard though i think it will make it cheaper overall to implement.

 

[Ruru]

And I remember it like yesterday when 256MB was "too much"

 

[64K]

Seems like 32 GB and 64 GB VRAM are targeted at professional cards in the foreseeable future. There is no need for 32 GB VRAM to run a 1080p and below monitor which is where most people are gaming. Yes, there is 4K which about 1 in a 1,500 gamers are using. Yes, 8K is on the way too but what GPU could handle that no matter how much VRAM was available? Probably 4K adoption will continue to rise slowly but still I don't see a need for 32 GB VRAM for gaming for a long time.

Edit: Based on the Steam Hardware Survey the last time I checked.

 

[Nosada]

And I remember it like yesterday when 256MB was "too much"

128MB is plenty, 256MB is overkill, 512MB is just making a fool of yourself

 

[Nobody99]

And the latest RAM has standard frequency up to only 2400 MHz, I can't believe we switched hardware for such a small improvement. It should double of DDR3.

 

[INSTG8R]

I must say my Fury has impressed despite just 4GB and I game at 1440 and play all the the AAA titles maxed out, not skipped a beat yet. It can only get better.

And the latest RAM has standard frequency up to only 2400 MHz, I can't believe we switched hardware for such a small improvement. It should double of DDR3.

My HBM only runs at 1000mhz and I don't see it being slow or starving at all because of the ridiculous bandwidth(total overkill there)

 

[Prima.Vera]

Why are we not replacing system's DDR4 with this? Buy a 64GB module of HBM3 RAM and your done for life.

 

[INSTG8R]

Why are we not replacing system's DDR4 with this? Buy a 64GB module of HBM3 RAM and your done for life.

I'm thinking about the applications of this for laptop GPU's and APU's will just totally smash the current performance metrics

 

[Nobody99]

APUs do benefit greatly from faster memory.

 

[INSTG8R]

APUs do benefit greatly from faster memory.

Totally! an APU with HBM would just be a monster I think, with the huge bandwidth and speed.

 

[GhostRyder]

How about with a graphics card like that we just store the entire game on it

 

[cdawall]

Totally! an APU with HBM would just be a monster I think, with the huge bandwidth and speed.

Imagine an Enthusiast grade platform with dual 8c/16t and dual AMD GPU's per CPU with a 64GB stack on each APU. That would in theory fit on AMD's CCX setup based off of what they released recently.

Quad crossfire and 16C/32T, or relegate an entire socket to GPU's and have a 16/32 CPU with HBM onboard and second socket be 4 GPU's with an HBM stack as well.

 

[INSTG8R]

Imagine an Enthusiast grade platform with dual 8c/16t and dual AMD GPU's per CPU with a 64GB stack on each APU. That would in theory fit on AMD's CCX setup based off of what they released recently.

Quad crossfire and 16C/32T, or relegate an entire socket to GPU's and have a 16/32 CPU with HBM onboard and second socket be 4 GPU's with an HBM stack as well.

Now you're thinking!

 

[cdawall]

Now you're thinking!

Come on AMD do something cool

To be fair I cannot imagine the effort that would be required to do quad crossfire between two CPU sockets.

 

[Xajel]

AMD is already planning APU's with HBM for next year, these will have both Zen and Polaris cores... sadly AFAIK the HBM will only be used for the iGPU part...

HBM can be used as system Memory, but with some complexities, it's fixed, you can't upgrade, and if you want it to be upgraded then it won't be a real system memory, instead it will act like L4 cache for the CPU which will increase the complexity of the CPU design...

some might guess why not just add 8GB - 16GB of HBM into an APU and this will be more than enough !!... the fact is... APU is designed to give maximum performance on smaller package and cost.. and HBM costs much more than regular DDR4 memory, not to mention the complexity of it...


Regardless of this... a 16C/32T Zen processor with 16~32GB of HBM seems like a killer, but it will surly require a huge socket and maybe 130W TDP

 

[prtskg]

Such apus will first come for hpc. The leftover hbm2 from gpu and hpc apu will come to consumer market. Even in the consumer market, the likes of Apple and consoles will have priority. And then comes the normal denizens of this world. It's still a couple of years away, I guess.