CAMM2 RAM makes a comeback on the Dell Pro Max 16 Plus with impressive performance to boot

After hyping up CAMM RAM a few years back as a replacement for SODIMM, Dell has been relatively silent on the technology ever since. Fast-forward to 2025 and the official JEDEC-standardized CAMM2 is now beginning to appear on high-end machines like the Dell Pro Max 16 Plus.

As detailed in our review of the mobile workstation, the Pro Max 16 Plus can be configured with either traditional SODIMM (via an adapter) for up to 96 GB of memory or CAMM2 RAM for up to 256 GB of memory. Performance maxes out at 6400 MT/s for SODIMM or up to 7200 MT/s for CAMM2. Our particular Dell test unit comes with a 128 GB CAMM2 6400 MT/s module and even a dedicated heat spreader for passive cooling.

Running the AIDA64 memory tests show our CAMM2 memory outperforming traditional DDR5 SODIMM memory in most other mobile workstations by as much as 20 percent and 45 percent when it comes to writing and reading tasks, respectively, as shown below. Meanwhile, soldered LPDDR5 RAM, such as on the Dell Precision 5690, can be competitive against CAMM2 in terms of performance albeit with much more limited maximum capacities and without the end-user upgradeability or repairability of CAMM2.

It's great to see Dell offering both CAMM2 and legacy SODIMM options for its latest workstations, but we wouldn't be surprised to see a full transition to only CAMM in the near future pending smooth reception and adoption rates for the standard.