Samsung Electronics has unveiled the world’s first memory modules that carry 32GB of DDR3 memory. The devices are aimed at servers and enable never before seen memory capacities. For example, a dual-processor Intel Xeon 5500-series machine can be potentially equipped with hundreds of gigabytes of memory.

Samsung 32GB memory module is based on 72 4Gb DDR3 memory chips produced using 50nm process technology and unveiled early this year. A row of nine quad-die package (QDP) 16Gb DDR3s are mounted on each side of the printed circuit board for a collective 32GB, highly compact configuration. Theoretically, such chips can operate at 1600MHz, but give that there are so many chips installed onto a single module the actual speed is unlikely to be high.

Thanks to 50nm process technology and Samsung’s expertise in memory production, the new memory chips operate with 1.35V voltage, down 20% from 1.5V, the default voltage setting for DDR3 memory.

“Compared to the 8GB memory modules used in today’s servers, our new module packs an eco-sensitive wallop with four times the density at significantly reduced power levels and no increase in the overall footprint. For data centers, it’s a powerhouse in energy efficiency and performance,” said Jim Elliott, vice president, memory marketing at Samsung Semiconductor.

Pricing of the 32GB RDIMM was not announced.

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), a market research and analysis firm, the worldwide DDR3 DRAM market will account for 29% of the total DRAM market in 2009 and 75% in 2011. In addition, IDC estimates that 2Gb-or-higher DDR3 DRAM will make up 3% of the total DRAM market in 2009 and 33% in 2011 (units in bits).

Tags: Samsung, DDR3, 50nm