The primary metric used to evaluate algorithmic search capability is the search rate, expressed as the number of searches conducted per second (MS/s). In 2023, the top-performing Versal devices, equipped with AMD CAM IP, attained an exact match search rate of 120 MS/s using ECC-protected DDR4 memory interfaces. For reference, single 100 Gb/s Ethernet stream requires a worst-case search rate of 150 MS/s.
Achieving these results comes with a significant cost. It requires a Versal device with four 72-bit DDR4 2400 interfaces and 540 I/O pins. It also requires a substantial array of discrete memory components and considerable PCB area. In terms of I/O efficiency, this equated to less than 0.22 MS/s per I/O pin.
By 2026, a 2 x 16-bit LPDDR5-6400 interface integrated into a single DRAM device calling for 72 I/O pins is projected to achieve a 150 MS/s exact-match search rate, resulting in 2.08 MS/s per pin—representing a nine-fold increase compared to performance three years ago. This innovation also leads to substantial cost savings. This approach minimizes the number of required memory devices and lowers FPGA I/O capacity requirements.