CAMM2 for desktop PCs: MSI explains the benefits of the new RAM standard for gaming towers
The first LPCAMM2 modules for laptops are already being delivered, and desktop mainboards are also expected to be equipped with CAMM2 in future. CAMM2 and LPCAMM2 are not compatible with each other, and even on desktop PCs, customers need to be careful because, unlike DIMMs, a whole range of different form factors are available.
Depending on the size and pin assignment, these modules will be offered in amounts ranging from 32 GB to 256 GB of DDR5. The memory cells are only located on the top side. Initially, CAMM modules will be fixed to the mainboard with screws. According to MSI, however, this can lead to problems if they are mounted too loosely or too tightly, which can even deform the mainboard and cause damage. Solutions are said to be in the works that will allow them to be attached without screws or tools.
Compared to classic DIMMs or SO-DIMMs, CAMM2 primarily saves space on the mainboard while fewer and shorter connections between the processor and RAM are required overall, which makes the production of mainboards cheaper. As only one module is required, the RAM itself should also be cheaper, although subsequent upgrades may be more expensive as additional modules cannot simply be fitted as before.
CAMM2 allows dual-channel operation on a single module. Less waste heat, lower latency and lower power consumption are further potential advantages of CAMM2. However, the technology also has some disadvantages - as already mentioned, installation currently requires a screwdriver, motherboard designs with two CAMM2 slots are complex, and CAMM2 modules with RGB lighting are not yet feasible, at least not yet, although the lighting can instead be integrated into a cooling module that sits above the CAMM2 module.
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