Samsung Begins Mass Production of Industry-Leading HBM4 Memory
Samsung Electronics has officially commenced mass production of its next-generation HBM4 (High Bandwidth Memory 4), marking a significant milestone in advanced memory technology. As the first company to ship commercial HBM4 products to customers, Samsung has established an early leadership position in the rapidly evolving HBM4 market.
Advanced Manufacturing for Superior Performance
Samsung’s HBM4 is manufactured using the company’s most advanced 6th-generation 10nm-class DRAM process, known as 1c, alongside a 4nm logic process. This approach has enabled Samsung to achieve stable yields and industry-leading performance from the outset, without the need for additional redesigns. By leveraging cutting-edge process technology and design optimization, Samsung is able to meet the growing demand for high-performance memory solutions in data-intensive applications such as artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.
Setting New Standards in Speed and Bandwidth
The new HBM4 memory delivers a consistent processing speed of 11.7 gigabits per second (Gbps), surpassing the industry standard of 8 Gbps by approximately 46%. This represents a 1.22x improvement over the previous generation HBM3E, which offered a maximum pin speed of 9.6 Gbps. HBM4’s performance can be further enhanced up to 13 Gbps, effectively reducing data bottlenecks as AI models and workloads continue to scale.
In terms of bandwidth, HBM4 achieves a maximum of 3.3 terabytes per second (TB/s) per stack, a 2.7x increase compared to HBM3E. This significant boost in memory bandwidth is critical for supporting the next wave of AI and high-performance computing applications.
Innovative Stacking and Power Efficiency
Samsung’s HBM4 utilizes advanced 12-layer stacking technology, offering memory capacities from 24GB to 36GB per stack. The company is also preparing for future demand by developing 16-layer stacking, which will expand capacity options up to 48GB.
To address the increased power consumption and thermal challenges associated with doubling the number of data I/Os from 1,024 to 2,048 pins, Samsung has integrated advanced low-power design solutions into the core die. HBM4 achieves a 40% improvement in power efficiency through the use of low-voltage through-silicon via (TSV) technology and optimized power distribution networks. Additionally, thermal resistance is improved by 10% and heat dissipation by 30% compared to HBM3E, ensuring reliable operation in demanding datacenter environments.
Supporting Next-Generation Data Centers and AI
With its combination of high performance, energy efficiency, and reliability, Samsung’s HBM4 is designed to maximize GPU throughput and help customers manage total cost of ownership (TCO) in large-scale data centers. These advancements are particularly relevant as AI workloads and data processing requirements continue to grow.
Robust Production and Industry Collaboration
Samsung’s extensive manufacturing resources, including one of the largest DRAM production capacities and dedicated infrastructure in the industry, ensure a resilient supply chain to meet the anticipated surge in HBM4 demand. The company’s integrated Design Technology Co-Optimization (DTCO) between its Foundry and Memory businesses guarantees high standards of quality and yield, while in-house expertise in advanced packaging streamlines production and reduces lead times.
Samsung is also expanding its technical partnerships with global GPU manufacturers and hyperscale data center operators, supporting the development of next-generation ASICs and memory solutions.
Looking Ahead: HBM4E and Custom Solutions
Samsung projects that its HBM sales will more than triple in 2026 compared to 2025, and is proactively increasing its HBM4 production capacity to meet this demand. Following the successful launch of HBM4, the company plans to begin sampling HBM4E in the second half of 2026, with custom HBM samples expected to reach customers in 2027 according to their specific requirements.
With these advancements, Samsung continues to drive innovation in high bandwidth memory, supporting the future of AI, data centers, and high-performance computing worldwide.
