Expected: NVIDIA Q1 HBM3e Validation, 2026 Launch HBM4

In accordance with data from the esteemed research institution TrendForce, NVIDIA is strategically broadening its supplier base for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to fortify its overall supply chain resilience. As part of this strategic initiative, the validation of Samsung's HBM3 (24GB) is projected to conclude by December 2023, while the forthcoming HBM3e is anticipated to undergo product validation in the first quarter of 2024.

Following the timeline compiled by the research entity, Micron provided NVIDIA with HBM3e 8hi (8 layers, 24GB) samples at the close of July 2023, followed by comparable offerings from SK Hynix in mid-August and Samsung in early October of the same year.

Given the intricate nature of the HBM chip validation process, estimated to span two quarters, the research suggests that select manufacturers may attain HBM3e validation results as early as the close of 2023. Nevertheless, the comprehensive validation process is projected to align with the timeline, concluding in the first quarter of 2024. The research underscores that validation outcomes for HBM3e from diverse original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will dictate the final allocation weights for NVIDIA's HBM procurement, necessitating ongoing observation.

In the year 2024, NVIDIA is poised to integrate HBM chips not only into existing products such as A100/A800 and H100/H800 but also into new releases like the H200, featuring six HBM3e chips, and the subsequent B100, equipped with eight HBM3e chips. Furthermore, the introduction of super chips GH200 and GB200, integrating NVIDIA's in-house Arm architecture CPU, is anticipated in 2024.

Surveying the product roadmaps of AMD and Intel, AMD is forecasted to initiate widespread shipments of the MI300 series with HBM3 in 2024. The ensuing MI350 series is expected to adopt HBM3e, with validation slated for the latter half of 2024. Intel's Gaudi 2, presently utilizing six HBM2e chips, will persist in utilizing HBM2e in the forthcoming Gaudi 3, featuring an augmentation to eight chips, scheduled for release in 2024.

The research entity predicts that the advent of the next-generation HBM4 chips will materialize in 2026, potentially catalyzing advancements in specifications and energy efficiency for entities such as NVIDIA. The stacking layers of HBM4 are projected to increase from the prevailing maximum of 12 layers (12hi) to 16 layers, with the latter anticipated to launch in 2027.