Samsung Electronics is reportedly sampling its next-generation HBM4 (High Bandwidth Memory) with major industry players like NVIDIA, Google, and Broadcom, aiming to revive its struggling memory business and compete with established rivals like SK hynix and Micron.

📈 Samsung Eyes HBM Turnaround With HBM4 Sampling

According to Korean media outlet Hankyung, Samsung is now actively testing its HBM4 memory with top-tier tech companies. Despite setbacks with previous HBM generations—including failed attempts to qualify its HBM3 products with NVIDIA—Samsung is hopeful that HBM4 will give it a competitive edge in the booming AI and data center markets.

🚀 Fierce Competition From SK hynix & Micron

While Samsung is still in the sampling phase, competitors have already surged ahead. SK hynix has showcased its HBM4 publicly and is expected to begin mass production as early as next quarter—six months ahead of its original schedule. Micron also plans to begin shipping its HBM4 products to customers by the end of this year.

This puts Samsung at a distinct timing disadvantage, with commercial delivery not expected until the first half of 2026 (H1 2026). The delay raises questions about whether the firm can recapture customer trust and keep up in an extremely competitive memory market.

🔧 Samsung HBM4 Technical Specs

Samsung’s HBM4 solution will reportedly integrate logic and semiconductor dies using its in-house 4nm foundry process and 6th-generation 1c DRAM (10nm-class). These specs put Samsung’s offering on par—at least on paper—with rival solutions from SK hynix and Micron.

However, given Samsung’s recent track record, execution remains a significant concern. Google recently cancelled orders for Samsung’s HBM3E memory after it failed to meet performance and compatibility requirements for NVIDIA’s AI systems.

💡 Can Samsung Regain Industry Trust?

The interest from NVIDIA, Google, and Broadcom signals that Samsung still holds clout in the industry. But the question remains: Can Samsung deliver a product that meets the high-performance needs of next-generation AI infrastructure?

Given that Samsung’s HBM division has yet to secure qualification for previous-gen memory in NVIDIA’s systems, HBM4 could be a make-or-break moment. The company is likely hoping this new iteration provides a fresh slate—both in performance and in customer perception.

💹 HBM Market Outlook 2025

The global HBM market is projected to grow significantly through 2025, with prices expected to surge by up to 10% as demand for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) solutions doubles. This makes the HBM4 race all the more critical for memory suppliers looking to capture lucrative long-term contracts.

FINAL Q1 RESULTS

On Wednesday, Samsung posted 6.69 trillion won in overall first-quarter operating profit on sales of 79.14 trillion won, up 1.2% and 10.1%, respectively, from a year earlier.

Performance was bolstered by strong results from its Mobile eXperience (MX) and Networks units, which together generated 4.3 trillion won in operating profit, a 22.5% on-year increase.

Its first-quarter net profit was 8.22 trillion won, up 21.7% from 6.75 trillion won a year earlier. The earnings exceeded market expectations.

Samsung attributed the better-than-expected bottom line to robust smartphone sales. Its latest Galaxy S25 smartphones debuted in January.

Samsung struck a cautiously optimistic tone on future earnings, pointing to easing global policy uncertainties and growing AI server investments as tailwinds for the remainder of the year.

“Demand for memory semiconductors is expected to improve, driven by expanding investments in AI servers and the proliferation of on-device AI,” said Park Soon-cheol, executive vice president of corporate management, during the earnings call.

📌 Final Thoughts

With AI chipmakers and cloud giants racing to secure cutting-edge memory solutions, Samsung’s ability to deliver on HBM4 performance will determine its future in the high-stakes semiconductor market. The firm may be late to the race, but if it gets execution right this time, it could be a defining win for its HBM division.

Stay tuned for more updates on HBM4 market trends, benchmarks, and adoption across the AI ecosystem.