Samsung has reportedly failed to pass HBM3E memory qualification tests set by Nvidia - WCCFTECH

Industry reports now suggest that Samsung has failed to pass specific stages of HBM3E memory verification set by NVIDIA, potentially creating a roadblock for the Korean giant.

The semiconductor industry is abuzz with reports suggesting that Samsung Electronics, a leading player in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market, may have encountered challenges during the verification stage of its HBM3E memory products with NVIDIA [1]. This potential roadblock could significantly impact Samsung's position as a key supplier for NVIDIA's next-generation graphics cards and further tighten the competition in the HBM market.

Samsung's reputation as an innovator in the HBM space is unquestionable. The company's recent achievements in developing HBM3E with 12 layers of DRAM have positioned it to potentially overtake current market leaders SK Hynix and Micron [1]. By maintaining the same height as 8-layer HBM3E while offering a higher layer count and better performance, Samsung's HBM3E products are expected to provide a significant boost in capacity and bandwidth, surpassing the capabilities of their competitors [1].

However, Samsung's HBM3E memory verification process with NVIDIA appears to have encountered difficulties. Although Samsung has begun developing HBM4 with an impressive bandwidth of 2 TB per second, it is not yet clear when the company will announce the mass production of HBM3E [1]. In contrast, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang confirmed that Samsung's HBM3E is undergoing the verification stage during the recent GTC 2024 conference [1].

Meanwhile, SK Hynix, another significant player in the HBM market, has faced process issues with its 12-layer HBM3E products [1]. Despite starting official supplies of 8-layer HBM3E to NVIDIA in March 2024, SK Hynix's 12-layer HBM3E is reportedly encountering some issues. Nevertheless, the company showcased its 12-layer HBM3E at GTC 2024 and allegedly provided samples to NVIDia as early as February 2024 [1].

The implications of these developments for the semiconductor industry are significant. The competition in the HBM market is expected to intensify as both Samsung and SK Hynix work to address the challenges and secure their positions as key suppliers for NVIDIA and other leading graphics card manufacturers [1].

Sources:

[1] https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20240326PD204/samsung-hbm3e-supplier-nvidia-sk-hynix.html