SK hynix ships HBM4E samples, joins Samsung in key AI chip race

SK hynix has shipped samples of its 12-layer HBM4E to major customers, following a similar move by Samsung. The new chip boosts energy efficiency by 20% and uses an advanced packaging process to improve heat dissipation by nearly 17%.

South Korean semiconductor company SK hynix is fueling the artificial intelligence (AI) race as its has officially shiped its samples of 12-layer HBM4E to major customers, as reported by Korea Herald on Thursday.

This comes approximately three weeks after Samsung Electronics claimed the industry's first such shipment. Now the comapany has pushed itself into the customer-qualification stage, as reported by Korea Herald.

Enhanced Performance and Packaging

SK hynix said its 12-layer part improves energy efficiency by over 20 per cent as compared with previous HBM4 generation. It delivers 48 gigabytes of capacity and pin speeds of up to 16 gigabits per second, as reported by the Korea Herald.

The South Korean semiconductor major has further applied its Advanced MR-MUF packaging process, which reduces gaps between stacked chips with a protective material to reinforce structural stability and dissipate heat. As per the company, the process reduces thermal resistance by nearly 17 per cent compared with HBM4. This is a significant achievement as faster memory generates more heat in dense computing environments.

Competition in Customer Validation Phase

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. The stage carries added weight for HBM4E because the generation is moving toward more customized designs: logic base dies are tailored to individual customers, raising the value of early validation slots.

"To be clear, both companies have only shipped samples so far. Neither company has said it has cleared customer qualification or begun volume production, the stages that will decide which supplier locks in orders for next year's AI platforms," an industry official noted, as reported by Korea Herald.

SK hynix Dominates HBM Market

With a revenue share of about 58 per cent as of the first quarter of 2026, SK hynix leads the HBM market, noted Korea Herald citing Counterpoint Research. On the other hand, Samsung and Micron each are trailing at roughly 21 per cent. (ANI)

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