Samsung clears Nvidia hurdle for 12-layer HBM3E supply, setting stage for HBM4 battle
Initial supply volumes are limited, but the qualification test pass is expected to support Samsung in the heated AI chip race
Samsung Electronics Co. has won long-awaited validation from Nvidia Corp. for its latest high-bandwidth memory, clearing a critical hurdle in the race to supply chips powering the next wave of artificial intelligence hardware.
The South Korean tech giant recently passed Nvidia’s qualification tests for its fifth-generation 12-layer HBM3E product, according to people familiar with the matter on Friday.
The approval comes about 18 months after Samsung completed development of the chip and follows a string of failed attempts to meet Nvidia’s demanding performance standards.
The milestone marks a symbolic recovery of technological credibility for Samsung in a field that has become one of the most strategically contested corners of the semiconductor industry.
Nvidia’s flagship B300 AI accelerator, as well as MI350 from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD), are among the systems set to deploy the high-capacity memory.
ALREADY SUPPLYING 12-STACK HBM3E TO AMD
Samsung had already shipped HBM3E 12-stack chips to AMD, but Nvidia, the dominant buyer of advanced memory for AI workloads, had remained out of reach.
Industry officials said the breakthrough owed much to a decision by Jun Young-hyun, Samsung’s chip business head and vice chairman, to redesign the DRAM core for HBM3E earlier this year, addressing thermal performance issues that had dogged earlier versions.
Volumes of 12-layer HBM3E chips to be supplied to Nvidia are expected to be relatively small, as Samsung is the third supplier to secure approval, following SK Hynix Inc. and Micron Technology Inc., sources said.
An industry executive, said
For Samsung, the supply is less about revenue and more about pride,
“Recognition from Nvidia means its technology is back on track.”
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Samsung clears Nvidia hurdle for 12-layer HBM3E supply, setting stage for HBM4 battle, source
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