In response to export restrictions on AI chips by the U.S. Department of Commerce, NVIDIA has previously introduced a China-Exclusive version of its graphics card, featuring the AD102-250 GPU and named GeForce RTX 4090 D.

According to ICsmart’s report, industry insiders has revealed that NVIDIA is rumored to officially unveil GeForce RTX 4090 D on December 28 at 10:00 PM (GMT+8), with the suggested retail price remaining at CNY 12,999.

Due to the impact of the new U.S. export restrictions on semiconductor to China in October this year, NVIDIA’s high-end gaming graphics card, GeForce RTX 4090, faced restrictions in sales in China.

In order to address this issue, NVIDIA decided to develop the customized GeForce RTX 4090 D specifically for the Chinese market. By adjusting certain specifications to comply with U.S. export control requirements, they aim to continue sales in the Chinese market.

According to previous information, the RTX 4090D is still based on TSMC’s 4nm process, featuring the AD102 GPU. However, the core designation changes from AD102-300 to AD102-250, corresponding to a downgrade in specifications. The exact number of CUDA cores is not yet clear, but is expected to be fewer than the 16,384 cores in the RTX 4090.

Additionally, the core base clock will see a slight increase from 2235MHz to 2280MHz, while the boost clock remains at 2520MHz. It is possible that the card will retain 24 GB of GDDR6X memory capacity with over 1 TB/s of bandwidth. The total board power (TBP) is expected to see a slight reduction from 450W to 425W.

Read more

• [Insights] NVIDIA Maintains Confidence Despite Export Restrictions, Continues Unveiling New Products
• [News] NVIDIA Confirms Development of “Compliance Chips” for the Chinese Market

(Photo credit: NVIDIA)

According to the latest panel price data released by TrendForce in late December, due to subdued demand at the year-end, prices for panels in the TV, monitor, and notebook (NB) segments have all experienced declines. Details are as follows:

TV Panel:

As we approach the year-end, with less-than-ideal results from the Black Friday promotions, there’s only a modest demand rebound observed for channel-owned brands with better sales performance. Major first-tier brands continue to adjust their panel order demands.

However, panel manufacturers are actively controlling output and inventory levels through production cuts. They even announced a nearly two-week annual preventive maintenance during the Lunar New Year in the first quarter of the coming year to ease the pressure of falling prices, while creating an atmosphere conducive to a potential reversal in panel prices.

Due to the signs of an expanding production cut, the current observed decline in TV panel prices in December is comparable to November, with a $2 decline for 32″ and 43″, a $3 decline for 50″, a $2 decline for 55″, and a $3 decline for 65″ and 75″.

Monitor Panel:

For monitor panels, demand has remained weak throughout the fourth quarter. Panel manufacturers had only made slight concessions in prices for high-end models in the past few months. However, entering December, the pressure of price declines has extended to mainstream panel specifications. To maintain shipping momentum, some panel manufacturers have noticeably softened their pricing stance. The observed decline in December is expected to be $0.2 for 23.8″ Open Cell panels and $0.1 for 21.5″, 23.8″, and 27″ panels.

NB Panel:

In terms of notebook panels, demand has significantly weakened in the fourth quarter. Faced with the pressure to maintain shipping momentum, panel manufacturers are experiencing changes in the previously stable panel prices over the past few months. As a result, buyers are beginning to have more negotiating power.

Observing panel prices in December, apart from 11.6″ and 14″/15.6″ TN models maintaining stability due to lower prices and limited supply, prices for 14″/15.6″ IPS models are expected to see a slight decline of $0.1.

Amid a gradual recovery in the memory market, South Korean memory giants Samsung and SK Hynix are reportedly set to expand their equipment investments significantly next year.

Samsung aims for a 25% increase in investment, while SK Hynix plans to more than double its investment compared to this year, concurrently increasing production capacity, sparking industry attention.

According to South Korean media outlet ETNEWS, both Samsung and SK Hynix are planning to boost semiconductor equipment investments in 2024. Samsung’s investment is estimated at around KRW 27 trillion (approximately USD 20.78 billion), representing a 25% growth, while SK Hynix plans an investment of around KRW 5.3 trillion (approximately USD 4.07 billion), signaling a 100% increase from this year’s investment.

As ETNEWS’ report revealed, in addition to increasing equipment investment, Samsung and SK Hynix have also raised their production capacity targets for 2024. Samsung plans to expand both DRAM and NAND Flash production by approximately 24%, while SK Hynix aims to elevate DRAM output to levels seen by the end of 2022.

Looking at market share, according to TrendForce’s released data, in terms of third-quarter revenue figures, Samsung holds approximately 38.9% market share in DRAM, while SK Hynix stands at 34.3%.

In the NAND segment, Samsung holds approximately 31.4% market share, while SK Hynix stands at 20.2%.

Market concerns arise as the memory industry, which has recently seen relief from the long-standing oversupply pressure due to major manufacturers reducing production, faces the possibility of disruption once again. Amid the rebound in prices, the significant investments planned by the two major South Korean companies are causing apprehension that the memory industry may face new challenges.

Memory industry sources believe that despite Samsung and SK Hynix’s plans to increase semiconductor equipment investment and boost production capacity in 2024, the tool-in still take time. Improving production capacity utilization is not an instantaneous process.

Furthermore, there is a general consensus in the industry that several AI-related applications in the future will require large-capacity memory support. For instance, the expected 3% growth in global smartphone shipments (based on TrendForce’s report) next year is anticipated to contribute to the expansion of demand in the high-value memory market.

TrendForce also pointed out that recent news about memory manufacturers expanding investment and increasing production capacity is primarily driven by the growing demand in the HBM market, rather than capacity expansion for all products.

Read more

• NAND Flash Industry Revenue Grows 2.9% in 3Q23, Expected to Surge Over 20% in Q4, Says TrendForce
• Contract Prices Bottom Out in Q3, Reigniting Buyer Momentum and Boosting DRAM Revenue by Nearly 20%, Says TrendForce

(Photo credit: Samsung)

Affected by the year-end and relatively sluggish demand, spot prices of DRAM and NAND Flash have shown a hovering trend this week. Details are as follows:

DRAM Spot Market:

With the year ending, some DRAM suppliers have released more their existing stocks into the spot market in order to lower their inventories further. As a result, spot prices of DRAM chips on the whole have fallen slightly. Currently, spot prices are still mostly hovering because buyers have yet to increase procurement quantities despite the rally of contract prices. The average spot price of the mainstream chips (i.e., DDR4 1Gx8 2666MT/s) rose by 0.11% from US$1.745 last week to US$1.747 this week.

NAND Flash Spot Market:

The spot market, bearing resemblances to that of DRAM, lacks drivers for a continuous increase in prices due to buyers’ stagnated purchase sentiment at the end of the year. Fortunately, the market is currently at a price correction phase as provision remains exceedingly restricted among suppliers due to their unchanged reluctance in sales. 512Gb TLC wafer spots have risen by 1.62% this week, arriving at US$3.075.

As TSMC, Samsung, and Intel compete fiercely in the race for 2nm advanced processes, a new wave of the “battle for crucial equipment” is simultaneously unfolding.

According to South Korean reports, ASML, the leader in semiconductor advanced lithography equipment, plans to manufacture ten equipment capable of producing 2nm chips next year, while aiming to increase its annual production capacity to 20 devices in the coming years.

Intel has secured up to six of the 10, taking the lead, while Samsung is also actively pursuing the procurement of the equipment. TSMC faces significant pressure in this competitive landscape.

South Korean tech media SamMobile has unveiled that as major semiconductor manufacturers announce plans to start producing 2nm chips in 2025, ASML is set to unveil equipment capable of manufacturing chips using the 2nm process in the coming months.

The latest extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment is expected to increase the numerical aperture (NA) from 0.33 to 0.55. This enhancement improves the light-collecting capability of the optical system, enabling semiconductor fabs to utilize advanced patterning techniques for the production of 2nm process chips.

ASML is the sole global manufacturer of advanced EUV equipment for processes at 7nm. These equipment are not only expensive, costing several million dollars each, but they also have limited production capacity.

It has led to high demand from major semiconductor manufacturers like Samsung, Intel, and TSMC. Currently, only five chipmakers globally, including TSMC, Samsung, SK Hynix, Intel, and Micron, require EUV equipment, with TSMC accounting for 70% of EUV purchases.

Consequently, Samsung is actively pursuing collaboration and has signed a historic agreement with ASML to jointly invest KRW 1 trillion (approximately USD 755 million) in establishing a research and development facility in South Korea.

This collaboration aims to contribute to the development of Samsung’s 2nm process. Samsung plans to commence the production of 2nm process chips by the end of 2025 after acquiring the 2nm manufacturing equipment.

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kyung Kye-hyun, who heads the Device Solutions Division, emphasized that the new agreement with ASML will assist Samsung in acquiring the next-generation high NA EUV equipment.

Kyung said, “Samsung has secured a priority over the High-NA equipment technology. (From the trip), I believe we created an opportunity for us to optimize the usage of High-NA technology for our production of DRAM memory chips and logic chips in the long term.”

On the Intel front, as part of its IDM 2.0 strategy, it is executing a 5 nodes in four years process development plan. Intel emphasizes that its Intel 20A process is progressing towards volume production readiness as planned, while the Intel 18A process is scheduled to test production phase in the first quarter of next year.

Facing the strong competition from Samsung and Intel, TSMC is not sitting idle. According to reports citing from Financial Times, TSMC has showcased its 2nm prototype test results to major clients like Apple and NVIDIA.

TSMC previously mentioned in its earnings call that it expects the 2nm process to enter mass production as scheduled in 2025. The company’s 2nm backside power rail solution is scheduled for the latter half of 2025, with mass production slated for 2026.

Read more

• [News] Samsung’s Discount Strategy Challenges TSMC as the Battle for 2nm Orders Heats Up
• [News] Samsung, ASML Invest KRW 1 Trillion in Korean Research Fab as Netherlands-Korea Semiconductor Alliance Formed

(Photo credit: ASML)