AMD launches Versal Premium Gen 2 with on-package memory

AMD has launched its Versal Premium Gen 2 Memory on Package adaptive system-on-chips, targeting aerospace and defence, test and measurement, and professional video markets.

The new devices integrate up to 32GB of LPDDR5X memory into a single package, providing up to 288GB/s of bandwidth while using up to 60% less board area than a comparable design with external memory, according to AMD. The approach is designed to eliminate board-level memory routing and reduce the design and validation work involved in building systems with discrete memory.

The products are aimed at applications where space, power and longevity are key design constraints, including VPX systems for secure communications and defence acceleration, as well as test equipment and video editing systems that need high data throughput in smaller form factors.

The launch expands the Versal Premium Gen 2 family with a configuration that places memory inside the chip package rather than on the board. Direct integration can increase data transfer speeds, reduce latency and lower power consumption compared with standard system-on-chip packages that use external memory, AMD said.

Compact designs

The format could make it easier to build systems based on standards such as Enterprise and Datacenter Standard Form Factor and 3U VPX. AMD added that the packaged memory setup may help developers meet telecoms and VPX requirements that can be harder to address with discrete memory layouts.

Alongside the integrated memory, the devices include CXL 3.1 and PCIe 6.0 running at 64Gb/s in hard IP. When paired with EPYC processors, those interfaces support data movement for workloads that need access to larger or shared memory pools, according to AMD.

AMD also highlighted LPDDR5X support of up to 9,000Mb/s and links to CXL memory pooling and expansion modules, giving system architects a route to scale memory resources beyond what is integrated into the package.

The company positioned the product for long deployment cycles in industrial and mission-critical environments. The chips support operation from -40C to 110C and come with more than 15 years of lifecycle support, AMD said.

Lifecycle focus

That lifecycle commitment addresses a common concern for customers using high-bandwidth memory, which often follows shorter refresh cycles driven by data-centre demand. AMD said using LPDDR5X and offering longer support windows can reduce the risk of redesigns caused by memory end-of-life or limited availability.

Security features are also part of the design. The products include PCIe Integrity and Data Encryption, introduced with PCIe 6.0, to secure data in transit at the link layer, while DDR memory encryption in integrated controllers is intended to protect stored data without using programmable logic resources.

AMD added that the chips include hard 400G high-speed crypto engines for secure processing in systems that must handle large data flows. That may be relevant for defence and communications applications where bandwidth and security must coexist in the same system.

The launch comes as chip suppliers seek to address a growing set of workloads linked to physical AI, networking and edge computing, where more data needs to move through systems with strict power and space limits. In those markets, the balance between throughput, footprint and product longevity can be as important as raw processor performance.

Development can begin using standard Versal Premium Series Gen 2 devices that are already shipping, according to AMD. Support for Vivado and Vitis workflows, compatible IP and reference designs should allow existing platform users to move to the new Memory on Package parts without redesigning their software and development processes, the company said.

In comments released alongside the launch, AMD highlighted the trade-offs system designers have faced when trying to add memory bandwidth in tightly constrained systems.

"For years, system architects had to choose between the memory bandwidth they wanted and the space, power and longevity their programs could actually live with. Memory on Package removes that tradeoff. Our customers can design for the system they want to build, not the one their memory constraints allow, and bring it to market faster," said Sumit Shah, Head of Product Management and Marketing, Adaptive and Embedded Computing Group, AMD.

AMD said Versal Premium Gen 2 Memory on Package devices will begin sampling at the end of 2026, with production shipments expected to start in the second half of the following year.