Samsung is gearing up to take the lead in the next-generation HBM4 memory market, with the Korean giant planning to tape out its cutting-edge technology by the end of this year. The HBM industry is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the increasing demand from AI applications, which has prompted companies like Samsung and SK hynix to accelerate their development of HBM products.
Samsung’s HBM4 Memory to Compete Head-to-Head with SK hynix: Intense Competition Expected
The demand for HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) is skyrocketing due to the AI boom, pushing companies to innovate and enhance their products to stay competitive. While updates on Samsung’s HBM4 memory have been scarce, a recent report from The Elec provides new insights, indicating that Samsung is on track to begin mass production of HBM4 by the end of 2025.
According to the report, Samsung has already started the preliminary work on HBM4, with expectations to reach the tape-out phase by Q4 2024. Tape-out signifies that the design and production processes for the product are finalized, which suggests that Samsung’s HBM4 memory could hit the market as early as next year. Additionally, Samsung is expected to begin product sampling soon, with NVIDIA and AMD likely among the potential customers.
When it comes to the specifications of Samsung’s HBM4, the company is expected to utilize both logic and semiconductor dies, a novel approach in the industry that aims to advance HBM capabilities. The Korean giant plans to employ its 4nm process technology from its foundry division, alongside the 10nm 6th-generation 1c DRAM, known for being one of the highest-performing DRAM technologies in the market. Interestingly, rumors suggest that SK hynix might also adopt the 1c DRAM approach, which will likely intensify the competition between the two companies.
HBM4 is anticipated to play a crucial role in the future of computing, especially as it is expected to be integrated into mainstream next-gen AI products, such as NVIDIA’s Rubin architecture and AMD’s MI400 lineup. The critical question remains: which company, Samsung or SK hynix, will capture the market’s attention? Only time will tell.
By Andrej Kovacevic
Updated on 20th August 2024