[News] Samsung Reportedly Scores High in Review, with NVIDIA’s HBM3E Qualification Likely by Early June

While Samsung continues to struggle with its foundry business, it finally has some good news in the memory sector. According to South Korean media outlet Alpha Economy, Samsung is likely to secure qualification from NVIDIA between late May and early June.

A source told Alpha Economy that Samsung’s DS division recently earned high marks in the post-processing review of its redesigned HBM. Last week, The Financial News reported that NVIDIA visited Samsung’s Cheonan packaging plant, suggesting that final quality testing for Samsung’s HBM3E supply to NVIDIA was underway.

Prior to that, NVIDIA had audited Samsung’s HBM at its Pyeongtaek Campus in late September 2024, as per the report. While qualification was expected for both 8-layer and 12-layer HBM3E, approval was reportedly delayed due to power performance issues, the report adds.

However, design modifications have since improved heat dissipation, the report adds.

Notably, industry experts cited by Alpha Economy believe Samsung is on track to mass-produce HBM3E within the first half of 2025. The company has also been aiming to secure qualification approval from major customers by the second quarter, the report implies.

Anyhow, Samsung still has to work hard to narrow the gap with its archrivals. SK hynix, as NVIDIA’s primary HBM supplier, is already providing 8-layer and 12-layer HBM3E chips to NVIDIA. As per the Chosun Daily, SK hynix intends to provide NVIDIA with samples of its 16-layer HBM3E products in the first half of 2025 to begin the certification process.

Meanwhile, according to Business Korea, Micron is set to begin mass production of its 12-stack HBM3E and will supply it to AI semiconductor giant NVIDIA soon, with HBM4 mass production reportedly expected in 2026.

Read more

• [News] NVIDIA Reportedly Visits Samsung for Final HBM3E Quality Testing as Delivery Deadline Nears
•  [News] Micron Reportedly Set to Mass Produce 12-Stack HBM3E, Securing NVIDIA Supply Deal

(Photo credit: Samsung)