[News] SK hynix Fast-Tracks HBM4 Development, Reportedly Hits 70% Yield in 12-Layer Testing

While HBM4 has become the next battleground for memory giants, SK hynix has hit a key milestone, as it has reportedly achieved a 70% yield in 12-layer HBM4 testing ahead of mass production, according to South Korean media outlet etnews.

Citing an insider familiar with the situation, the report indicates that at the end of 2024, SK hynix reached a 60% yield in HBM4 test already, and the company is improving yields at an impressive pace.

The etnews report attributes SK hynix’s HBM4 progress to the application of its 5th-generation 10nm-class DRAM (1b), which had already been validated for performance and stability. The 1b DRAM node was also used in SK hynix’s HBM3e products, the report adds.

According to a previous report from ZDNet, SK hynix plans to ship HBM4 samples to NVIDIA as early as June 2025, with full-scale product supply expected to begin around the end of the third quarter.

The ZDNet report suggests that NVIDIA has accelerated its Rubin GPU timeline, now aiming for an H2 2025 launch with 12-layer HBM4. With SK hynix stabilizing its HBM4 yields, the plan now looks feasible.

Regarding the progress of other memory giants, Micron’s next-generation HBM4 is expected to enter mass production in 2026. Samsung, despite 1c DRAM yield issues, reportedly aims to begin mass production of HBM4 within the year.

Read more

• [News] Samsung Reportedly Speeds up HBM4 by 6 Months, as NVIDIA Plans Early Rubin Launch in Q3
• [News] SK hynix Reported to Deliver HBM4 Samples to NVIDIA in June, with Mass Production by Q3 2025

(Photo credit: SK hynix)