SK hynix Supplies HBM4E 12-High Samples, Intensifying Next-Generation HBM Competition - 매일경제

SK hynix announced on the 18th that it has supplied samples of its new ultra-high-performance DRAM product, HBM4E 12-high, to major customers, intensifying competition with Samsung Electronics in the ... Read original →

SK hynix’s accelerated delivery of HBM4E 12-high samples has narrowed its supply gap with Samsung to just three weeks, triggering a cascade across the AI memory stack. The MR-MUF process enables higher density and 17% lower thermal resistance, forcing upgrades in packaging materials and thermal management. However, reliance on TSMC’s advanced logic nodes—amid NVIDIA’s priority allocation—poses a capacity bottleneck for SK hynix. Geopolitically, U.S. and EU efforts to reshore semiconductor supply chains may restrict access to critical DRAM equipment, raising compliance costs. Samsung retains an edge with its in-house 4nm logic die, but SK hynix’s diversification into Google and AWS builds strategic resilience. Over the next 12–24 months, HBM4E will become standard in AI accelerators, accelerating convergence between sub-3nm EUV DRAM and heterogeneous integration—ushering in an era where bandwidth is measured not just in gigabytes, but gigabytes per watt.