Samsung M2800 Shifts to 2nm, Boosting HBM4

According to industry sources, Samsung Electronics is planning a new allocation of its advanced semiconductor manufacturing capacity, shifting its next-generation M2800 mobile modem to a 2nm process and redirecting the freed-up 4nm capacity primarily toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM) base dies.

According to South Korean media outlet The Elec, citing industry sources, Samsung System LSI has decided to manufacture its external 5G modem, the M2800, using a 2nm process, with development expected to be completed in 2027. The modem is reportedly intended for the Galaxy S28 series, scheduled for release in 2028, where it will work alongside the next-generation Exynos 2800 processor in a dual-chip configuration.

The shift to 2nm modem production is expected to free up additional 4nm manufacturing capacity for HBM applications. More than half of Samsung Foundry's total 4nm capacity has reportedly already been allocated to HBM4 base dies, according to industry sources. Some industry estimates put the proportion at 50% to 60%, although Samsung has not officially disclosed the figures.

Before the transition to 2nm, Samsung's mobile modems will continue to use the 4nm process. The M2700 modem, planned for the Galaxy S27 series in 2027, is expected to be manufactured on 4nm and paired with the Exynos 2700 processor. Similarly, the Shannon 5410 external modem used in the Galaxy S26 series in 2026 is based on the 4nm process. In South Korea, the standard Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ models pair the Exynos 2600 processor with the Exynos Modem 5410, while US models use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Despite sharing the same 4nm process node as its predecessor, the M2700 has reportedly received positive feedback in internal testing by Samsung's Mobile eXperience (MX) division. According to industry sources, Samsung has refined the modem's hardware design and software to improve power efficiency and data transmission speeds. The company has also introduced an optical shrink technique, which reduces mask dimensions proportionally within the same process node, reportedly decreasing the chip's area by approximately 4%.

The M2700 is also expected to upgrade its supported 3GPP standard from Release 17 to Release 18, while enhancing support for non-terrestrial networks (NTN). These developments could improve the modem's connectivity capabilities as Samsung prepares its next-generation mobile platform.

Samsung's reported capacity reallocation highlights the growing demand for advanced semiconductor manufacturing driven by AI infrastructure and high-bandwidth memory. As HBM4 development advances, the availability of suitable foundry capacity for base dies is becoming increasingly important, while the transition to smaller process nodes offers Samsung another way to balance mobile chip development with expanding AI-related semiconductor demand.