Rambus Unveils CKD02 Chip for DDR5 Memory at 9600 MT/s

Rambus has officially introduced the CKD02, a second-generation client clock driver chip designed to push DDR5 memory speeds up to 9600 MT/s. The announcement came on May 27 and marks a significant step in stabilizing high-speed memory for upcoming desktop and laptop platforms.

New clock driver chip supports DDR5 speeds up to 9600 MT/s

The CKD02 works alongside PMIC5120 voltage regulation and an SPD Hub to manage module configuration across CUDIMM, CQDIMM (desktop), and CSODIMM (laptop) form factors. This integrated approach supports a speed range from 8000 to 9600 MT/s, addressing signal attenuation, clock jitter, and timing instability that typically limit DDR5 performance above 6400 MT/s.

• DDR5 Native Speed: 9600 MT/s
• Clock Driver Chip: CKD02 (Second Generation)
• Supported Modules: CUDIMM, CQDIMM (Desktop), CSODIMM (Laptop)
• Speed Range: 8000 to 9600 MT/s

Rambus positions the CKD02 as essential for next-generation AI PCs, laptops, and workstations. The company states the solution handles real-time data movement required by Agentic AI applications, which demand faster memory bandwidth to process large datasets efficiently.

The chip will be available globally in the second half of this year to support Intel Nova Lake and AMD Zen 6 platforms. Exact release dates for these CPUs remain unspecified beyond the H2 window, but Rambus confirms the CKD02 is ready to accompany both architectures when they launch.