SK hynix ships HBM4E samples, joining Samsung in next-gen AI memory race

SK hynix has shipped samples of its 12-layer HBM4E memory to major customers, entering the customer-qualification stage weeks after rival Samsung Electronics claimed the industry's first such shipment. The next-generation high-bandwidth memory offers 48GB capacity and 16Gbps speeds with improved energy efficiency, targeting AI accelerators like Nvidia's Rubin Ultra platform. SK hynix leads the HBM market with a 58% share, and the sample delivery marks a critical step toward mass production.

SK hynix said Thursday it has shipped samples of its 12-layer HBM4E, the next generation of high-bandwidth memory for artificial intelligence, to major customers, moving the company into the customer-qualification stage roughly three weeks after rival Samsung Electronics claimed the industry's first such shipment. The announcement marks a shift in the HBM4E contest from product roadmaps to the more decisive phase in which AI chipmakers verify the memory inside their actual accelerator platforms. In high-bandwidth memory, which is packaged alongside GPUs to ease the data bottlenecks in AI training and inference, sample delivery is the entry point to customer validation rather than proof of mass production. SK hynix said its 12-layer part delivers 48 gigabytes of capacity and pin speeds of up to 16 gigabits per second, while improving energy efficiency by more than 20 percent over the previous HBM4 generation. The company applied its Advanced MR-MUF packaging process, a method that fills the gaps between stacked chips with a protective material to reinforce structural stability and dissipate heat. It said the process cut thermal resistance by about 17 percent versus HBM4, a gain that matters as faster memory generates more heat in dense computing environments. The competitive framing is notable. Samsung announced on May 29 that it had begun shipping the world's first 12-layer HBM4E samples, citing matching figures of 48 gigabytes and 16 gigabits per second. SK hynix did not claim a first. Instead it leaned on its track record across HBM3, HBM3E and HBM4 to argue it can carry proven supply capability into the new generation. Ahn Hyun, the company's president and chief development officer, said SK hynix has "laid the foundation to strengthen its AI leadership with HBM4E," and would reinforce its position "as a full-stack AI memory creator." According to Counterpoint Research, SK hynix leads the HBM market with a share of roughly 58 percent, ahead of Samsung at about 21 percent and Micron, which is also pushing into next-generation production. HBM4E is expected to anchor Nvidia's Rubin Ultra accelerator platform, slated for next year, making current sample validation a gateway to those designs. The company did not disclose which customers received the samples, and it has not committed to a mass-production date, saying only that it will work with partners "for mass production in a timely manner." mjh@heraldcorp.com