Samsung targets SK Hynix market share with 46% faster speeds HBM4 claims

Samsung Electronics has begun mass production and shipment of its next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4), claiming significant performance gains that challenge longtime rival SK Hynix’s dominance and intensify competition with other players like Micron.

According to Samsung, its HBM4 chips deliver a consistent transfer speed of 11.7 gigabits per second (Gbps), roughly 46% faster than the JEDEC industry standard of 8 Gbps, and can be pushed to 13 Gbps under optimized conditions.

In a statement dated Thursday, February 12, Samsung mentioned that it is striving to keep up with the high demand for Nvidia Corp.’s graphics chips. This surging demand stems from the chips’ cutting-edge features, positioning them as the industry-leading choice for AI model training and operationalization.

Samsung seeks to solidify its position as a leader in the tech industry 

For some time, Samsung has observed its competitor, SK Hynix Inc., gaining dominant market share and capturing the majority of Nvidia’s high-bandwidth memory orders. High-bandwidth memory is a key component for AI accelerators.

Nonetheless, after years of hard work, Samsung recently narrowed this gap through its latest strategic move. Both tech giants have solidified their positions as the most valuable tech firms in South Korea by market capitalization. Moreover, they have witnessed a significant surge in their stock prices since September last year amid fears of a memory shortage. 

Responding to these fears, the Corporate President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions Business, Jaihyuk Song, forecast significant supply constraints for both this year and next. 

Meanwhile, regarding Samsung’s first delivery phase for its new HBM4 memory chips, Song mentioned that they are setting the standard in the high-performance memory industry again, reigniting growth as the definitive leader in memory. Afterwards, the industry executive asserted that the company’s stock prices would rise significantly to high levels.

He expressed this unexpected confidence in Seoul during the Semicon Korea conference, where he was the featured speaker. Song made these remarks after another senior executive from Samsung earlier shared a brief message stating that the tech giant is back. This statement sparked hope that Nvidia will soon adopt the firm’s next-generation high-bandwidth memory as its preferred option.

“We’re showing Samsung’s true abilities once more,” Song said, further arguing that, “Although we haven’t fully showcased how Samsung meets customer needs with top-notch technology for a while, you can see this as our return to form.” 

Memory supply shortage remains a primary concern in the industry 

Regarding shortages in memory chip supply, Samsung’s industry executives said this situation could trigger price hikes across the industry, impacting the firm’s own client products.

To further demonstrate the intensity of the situation, reports highlighted that, despite its status as the top memory producer, Samsung is constrained by the escalating costs of these foundational components, which range from smartphones and laptops to smart home devices and self-driving vehicles.

During an interview, Wonjin Lee, president and head of global marketing, commented on this matter. He noted that, “There will be challenges with semiconductor supplies, and everyone will feel the impact,” adding that, “Prices are increasing right now. We definitely don’t want to pass that cost onto consumers, but we may reach a point where we have to rethink our product pricing.” 

Lee made this statement at CES in Las Vegas, where the company was exhibiting its full lineup of electronic products from small wireless earbuds to top-notch 130-inch TVs. Like many event exhibitors, Samsung sought to promote its vision of a more connected, AI-enhanced product lineup amid rising production costs.

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