upgrading your laptop's RAM is a pain but thanks to cam 2 an updated standard
recently ratified by jedc that might be about to change cam or the compression
attached memory module is a memory form factor created by Dell engineer Tom
Schnell you might remember it launching as a proprietary solution in Dell
laptops in 2022 replacing the sodm form
factor sodm technically stands for small
outline dual inline memory module but it
just sounds like we're calling them stupid and we are to their credit dims
were a significant upgrade when they started to replace Sims back in the
1990s Sim pins could only support 32bit
data while dim pins could manage 64-bit
meaning that a single dim could do the job of two sims so dim is basically the
same thing just smaller around half the size which is why it's primarily used in
laptops compared to memory solder to the motherboard board replaceable components
like sodm RAM sticks typically aren't as resistant to Accidental jostling they
use more power and they take up more space in a portable device where space
is at a premium and cooling is already a problem this has led to soldered memory
becoming the default at the expense of repairability and upgradeability most
users will never open the back end of their device so many manufacturers have
decided that it makes more sense to ensure that it works today rather than
it be upgradeable in the future but for those of us who'd rather upgrade a
laptop that just needs a bit more RAM rather than buy a whole new machine it's
a big disappointment so how does Cam 2 address those problems and can it really
bring back upgradeable laptop RAM we'll tell you right after we thank Odo for
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and the now standardized cam 2 is an attempt to close the gap between
replaceable and soldered memory looking at the original Cam and sodm side by
side you're probably going to notice one big difference right away the size the
single cam component is significantly longer and wider but it's also 57%
thinner for an equivalent amount of RAM shaving off a few millimeters of height
and reducing overall volume Cam and cam 2 can also support up to 128 GB on a
single module and have significant improvements over sodium in terms of air
flow you might wonder why sodm comes with RAM chips mounted on both sides of
the PCB like that if height is such an important factor but this is actually a
way of accommodating yet another technical limitation of the format sodm
uses an edge connector which means that traces for the chips nearest to the
connector need to zigzag in order to keep them the same length as traces to
chips on the far side that increases
both the time it takes the motherboard to communicate with those chips and the
risk of Distortion and cross talk between circuits as traces get longer
you need to increase the space between them in order to manage that risk
therefore a double-sided PCB is the best way to save space given the other
constraints of the design even worse due to these same size constraints and
timing issues the wires from the CPU wind up traveling under the sodm module
and connecting to The Far Side leading to a minimum Trace length of 7 1/2 CM
Cam and cam 2 on the other hand use a land grid array connector similar to a
typical CPU because it has connecting pins across its rear face rather than on
one Edge all the chips are now significantly closer to the connector
and the motherboard further cam 2 comes in configurations for two single
channels or one dual channel in part due
to this connector change cam 2 will also need to be screwed down in order to
ensure it maintains consistent contact which has both advantages and
disadvantages it reduces the potential that the component might come unseated
due to jostling but it also adds the need for a screwdriver like this one
from LTT Store.com rather than just easily slotting in like a sodm likewise
depending on the design of their device some users might need to replace their
existing cam 2 with a new one when they want to upgrade rather than simply
buying a second sodm and plugging it in another reason why some companies are
pushing for cam 2 now is so dim actually
has a speed cap of around 6,400 MHz most
Main extreme sodm designs haven't hit this ceiling yet but it's a future
problem that cam is solving today with a proactive design that places the module
in closer contact with the motherboard on the level of electronics and
materials Cam and sodm are extremely similar meaning that they'll likely be
similar in terms of price to Performance and software interoperability now as for
power efficiency the cam 2 standard also comes with both ddr5 and lpddr5 sl5x
Designs while sodm is limited to the more power intensive ddr5 in order to
prevent anyone from accidentally crossing the streams which may lead to a
total protonic reversal the slots for ddr5 and LP ddr5 versions of Cam 2 will
be physically distinct to prevent one from getting plugged into the other the
option of LP ddr5 might mean we'll see more upgradable RAM even in relatively
small devices like tablets or single board computers it's unclear at this
point whether cam 2 is truly the default laptop memory format of tomorrow but
thanks to this new ratification by jedek it will likely gain interest and become
cheaper over time Dell is of course a
major backer of the new standard but Samsung and Micron also announced plans
to incorporate cam modules in upcoming products even prior to the ratification
of Cam 2 wow maybe we really are in the
best timeline but one thing's for sure you are the best viewer for watching all
the way to the end wow thanks for watching like the video if you like if
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