Rumor
SK Hynix reportedly faces stability issues with high-speed HBM4 samples
Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 04:18 AM
Reports suggest SK Hynix is currently supplying HBM4 samples that are only stable at reduced speeds. This indicates the company may only ship second-tier HBM4 products in 2026, while the qualification for top-tier high-speed variants is pushed to 2027.
Context
Recent reports indicate that SK Hynix is facing stability issues with its high-speed HBM4 samples, which are struggling to maintain performance at the target 11.7Gbps specification. While the company achieved a world-first development milestone in September 2025, current data suggests that only second-tier 10.6Gbps variants may be ready for mass supply in 2026. This technical hurdle has reportedly led NVIDIA to consider relaxing its performance thresholds to ensure a stable supply for its upcoming Vera Rubin AI accelerators.
Despite these speed-related challenges, SK Hynix continues to dominate the market, having reportedly secured 60% of NVIDIA's total HBM4 allocation. The company is actively refining its hardware and recently developed proprietary system-level testing equipment to identify defects early in the integration process. This move is critical as SK Hynix aims to defend its lead against Samsung, which is aggressively positioning itself to complete NVIDIA qualification testing first.
Sources (6)
SK hynix Ships World's First 12-Layer HBM4 Samples to CustomersSK Hynix presses ahead on HBM4 despite tightening AI memory supplyHBM roadmaps for Micron, Samsung, and SK hynix: To HBM4 and beyond | Tom's HardwareSK hynix Completes World's First HBM4 Development and Readies Mass Production[News] NVIDIA May Relax HBM4 Specs as Samsung and SK hynix Reportedly Face Capacity, Yield LimitsSK Hynix's Crucial Juncture: HBM4 Final Samples Nearing Delivery ...
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