Kingston’s promised CAMM2 modules are here at Computex, bringing the slim and fast RAM standard to desktop computers for the first time. MSI and Asus are also joining the party with their new motherboards being the first to support the new modules.
The Kingston Fury Impact DDR5 CAMM2 module is a single stick of RAM in the fresh and new CAMM2 standard. The module shown off at Computex runs at a blazing DDR5-5600 and will release in 32GB and 64GB sizes, with 128GB and 256GB sizes suspected to come in the future. Kingston hasn’t provided a firm launch date for the modules, but hopes to ship its new tech before the end of 2024. A price tag is also yet unknown, but expect prices above matching specs on SO-DIMM.
The new RAM standard will launch on desktop PCs alongside the motherboards needed to use it. MSI and Asus both had their boards on display at the Kingston booth. MSI, as promised, showed off its new Project Zero motherboard with the new RAM onboard. First teased in a tweet from May. The Z790 Project Zero Plus holds the module tight and provides the novel back-connector motherboard experience. Now PC builders can enjoy the freedom of zero cooling clearance issues ever again with no ATX cable or RAM modules in the way.
While Asus’s new Lengshuikeng motherboard doesn’t offer the back-connector cables, it still has a lot going for it. What appears to be a modified Maximus Hero board possesses a healthy helping of yellow stickers around the CAMM2 slot. A to-be-expected explosion of rear IO options festoons the rear of the board.
The CAMM2 standard has a lot of features to be extremely excited about. Besides its obvious space-saving perks, the CAMM2 standard also boasts improved speeds over traditional SO-DIMM modules. CAMM2 modules are 57% thinner than SO-DIMM, making things just a bit closer together on the module. Kingston also advertises a “unique strip” which enhances the connection between module and motherboard, also beating out SO-DIMM.
CAMM2 can also support multi-channel memory on a single module, meaning only one stick is necessary for dual-channel memory to max out the 128-bit connection to the CPU. Perhaps most excitingly, the standard can also support LPDDR5(X) chips, an even faster DDR5 variant that makes non-soldered LPDDR5(X) memory possible for laptop applications. The new Kingston chips shown off today are only on DDR5 chips, but one day LPDDR5(X) will come to desktop.
Don’t worry about having to switch to the new standard just yet, as SO-DIMM is still here to stay for a long while yet. Though its high-end performance will likely give it a small foothold in the highest end of desktop hardware, CAMM2 will be mainly a laptop standard for some years. After all, there’s no room on CAMM2 modules for gratuitous RGB!