The Korean media is now reporting that Samsung has secured an HBM3E supply from NVIDIA following the qualification of its 12-Hi variant, which is a massive breakthrough for the firm.
Samsung Secures Crucial 12-Hi HBM3E Qualification From NVIDIA; Hopes To See Larger Influence With HBM4
For those unaware, the NVIDIA-Samsung HBM saga has been ongoing for the past few months. The Korean giant initially struggled to get a spot in NVIDIA's supply chain. Reports claimed that Samsung HBM3 had thermal issues, which did emerge from the firm's DRAM technology. Now, in a report by KED Global, it is revealed that Samsung has secured 12-Hi HBM3E qualification from NVIDIA, which means that the Korean giant will now work alongside SK hynix and Micron in Team Green's HBM supply chain.
After the failure with HBM3, Samsung resorted to 8-layer HBM3E, but that also failed to get approval, since the firm had employed the older 1a DRAM "4th-generation" technology, which posed performance and thermal issues. Now, it is claimed that the firm had revised its DRAM designs, and had invested signifcantly into its HBM business to ensure that it sees a breakthrough with NVIDIA, since according to the report, it was a matter of 'technological pride', apart from the potential revenue generated through HBM sales.
For Samsung, the supply is less about revenue and more about pride. Recognition from Nvidia means its technology is back on track.
For now, the HBM3E orders are claimed to be limited by Samsung, considering that NVIDIA has already relied on SK hynix and Micron for the supply needed. However, with this breakthrough, the Korean giant feels confident that it can tap into the HBM4 segment similar to competitor timelines. More importantly, Samsung is claimed to be the first firm to achieve 11 Gbps speeds with its HBM4, credits to utilization of 1c DRAM technology and a 4nm logic die sourced from Samsung Foundry. More importantly, HBM4 supply could expand to AMD, Broadcom and Google as well.
Well, it seems like Samsung's dwindling business might have witnessed an enormous breakthrough, and with this, it is safe to say that the Korean giant is now on par with the likes of SK hynix and Micron, which means that competition is going to get a lot more aggressive.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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