LPDDR4

LPDDR4, short for Low-Power Double Data Rate 4 SDRAM, is a JEDEC standard for mobile memory. It is designed to deliver higher bandwidth at lower power for devices such as smartphones, tablets, and ultrathin laptops, acting as the main system memory in conjunction with an application processor.

Compared with its predecessor LPDDR3, LPDDR4 provides higher data rates and improved power efficiency. Implementations typically operate in the multi-gigabit per second range, with data rates reaching up to around 3200 MT/s depending on device and configuration. The standard introduces architectural enhancements that enable higher throughput while maintaining low idle power, including wider data paths and optimized memory organization across banks.

LPDDR4 emphasizes energy efficiency through lower memory I/O voltages in later revisions and a range of low-power states, including deep sleep modes and selective refresh options. These features help mobile devices conserve battery life during memory-intensive workloads and standby periods.

Industry adoption and evolution: Memory devices conforming to the LPDDR4 standard are produced by major manufacturers and are used in numerous smartphone and tablet designs. The standard was widely deployed in devices released from the mid-2010s onward and was complemented by LPDDR4X, a lower-power variant with further efficiency improvements. In the following years, LPDDR5 appeared as the next generation in the series, continuing the trend toward higher performance with reduced power consumption.

Overall, LPDDR4 represents a key step in mobile memory design, balancing higher bandwidth with the needs of battery-powered devices.