SK Hynix to Mass Produce HBM3E in March

In a recent report by Moneytoday, SK Hynix is poised to commence the mass production of the world's pioneering fifth-generation high-bandwidth memory, HBM3E, in March of this year. The company is set to deliver the first batch of these cutting-edge products to NVIDIA within the following month. Among the prominent figures in semiconductor storage, including Samsung Electronics and Micron, SK Hynix is leading the charge by initiating the mass production of HBM3E and supplying it to stakeholders, thereby contributing significantly to the ongoing global competition in HBM technology.

Last August, SK Hynix announced the successful development of the high-performance DRAM product, HBM3E, designed specifically for AI applications. The company commenced the provision of samples to customers for performance validation.

Insights from semiconductor industry insiders reveal that SK Hynix officially concluded the development of HBM3E in mid-January of this year. Following an extensive six-month performance evaluation by NVIDIA, all nine stages of semiconductor product development have been completed, ushering in the final ramp-up stage to increase production capacity. The completion of development signifies the conclusion of ramp-up, and from this point forward, all HBM3E memory produced is poised for immediate delivery to NVIDIA. In March, SK Hynix is anticipated to receive NVIDIA's final product quality certification, initiating immediate mass production and delivery.

Noteworthy competitors, Samsung Electronics and Micron, have also supplied HBM3E samples to NVIDIA. However, confirmation of whether these products meet the final qualification tests for delivery is anticipated to begin in March. With SK Hynix concluding final quality testing in January and planning deliveries in March, the company enjoys at least a two-month lead compared to the industry's roadmap schedule.

The HBM3E provided by SK Hynix is integrated into NVIDIA's upcoming next-generation Artificial Intelligence (AI) GPU B100 chip, scheduled for release in the late second quarter or early third quarter of this year. As the leading player with over 90% global market share in AI GPU, NVIDIA's partnership with SK Hynix, a memory semiconductor company, underscores the latter's commitment to maintaining a "technology-first" stance. Industry experts note that the recently unveiled HBM3E samples from SK Hynix align with NVIDIA's final specifications, while SK Hynix remains circumspect in confirming any customer-related information.