Image: from The Tech Outlook X @TheTechOutlook
By Open Chronicle with agencies
Samsung Electronics has become the first memory manufacturer to ship samples of its next-generation HBM4E chips to major customers, marking another milestone in the rapidly evolving race to supply the artificial intelligence industry with faster and more efficient memory technology.
The announcement comes only months after Samsung began supplying sixth-generation High Bandwidth Memory (HBM4) chips to leading AI companies, including major data center and semiconductor customers. The move signals the company’s determination to regain momentum in the increasingly competitive AI memory market.
A New Generation of AI Memory
HBM, or High Bandwidth Memory, has become one of the most critical components powering modern artificial intelligence systems. Advanced AI accelerators and graphics processors rely on these specialized memory chips to move enormous volumes of data at extremely high speeds while minimizing power consumption.
Samsung’s new HBM4E architecture represents the seventh generation of the technology and delivers notable improvements over its predecessor.
According to the company, the 12-layer HBM4E design offers approximately 20 percent higher performance and 16 percent greater power efficiency compared with existing HBM4 products.
The chips feature a per-pin speed of 14 gigabits per second, with the potential to reach 16 gigabits per second under certain configurations. Total memory bandwidth reaches an impressive 3.6 terabytes per second, enabling significantly faster data movement for AI workloads.
Advanced Manufacturing Technology
Samsung’s HBM4E memory uses the company’s sixth-generation 10-nanometer-class DRAM process, known internally as “1c,” combined with a 4-nanometer logic base die manufactured through Samsung Foundry.
The company says manufacturing improvements have resulted in higher production yields while also enhancing thermal performance.
One of the most important advances involves heat management. Samsung reports that thermal resistance has improved by more than 14 percent, helping data center operators manage the growing energy demands associated with large-scale AI systems.
As artificial intelligence models continue to increase in size and complexity, thermal efficiency has become nearly as important as raw performance.
Larger Capacity Options Planned
Samsung plans to initially offer HBM4E memory in a 48GB configuration using a 12-layer stack.
The capacity represents a 30 percent increase compared with current HBM4 solutions.
The company also revealed plans to expand the product lineup with additional variants, including:
• 32GB models using eight-layer designs
• 64GB models utilizing sixteen-layer stacks
These larger memory capacities are expected to support increasingly demanding AI training and inference applications, where access to larger datasets directly influences performance and efficiency.
Recovery After Earlier Challenges
The announcement also represents a significant moment for Samsung following difficulties experienced with previous HBM3E products.
Earlier performance and qualification challenges allowed competitors to strengthen their positions within the AI memory market, particularly among companies developing AI accelerators and data center processors.
Samsung now appears focused on demonstrating both technological leadership and manufacturing reliability.
The company stated that customer feedback regarding its HBM4 products has been overwhelmingly positive and emphasized its commitment to ensuring a stable supply as demand for AI hardware continues to grow worldwide.
AI Industry Drives Memory Competition
Demand for high-bandwidth memory has surged dramatically as companies race to develop increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems.
HBM has become a strategic component in advanced AI processors used for training large language models, running generative AI applications, scientific computing, and cloud infrastructure.
Major technology firms, including AMD, Nvidia, and other AI hardware developers, depend on high-performance memory to maximize the capabilities of their processors.
As a result, competition among memory manufacturers has intensified, with companies investing billions of dollars to expand production capacity and accelerate development of future generations.
Looking Ahead
Samsung believes HBM4E will strengthen its position in the AI ecosystem and help meet growing customer demand over the coming years.
Sang Joon Hwang, Executive Vice President and Head of Memory Development at Samsung Electronics, said the successful rollout demonstrates the company’s technological capabilities.
“Following the successful mass production of HBM4, Samsung has once again demonstrated its distinct technological edge with HBM4E,” Hwang said. “Through our advanced manufacturing capabilities and preemptive infrastructure investments, we will continue to drive the growth of the global AI memory market.”
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries worldwide, the race to develop faster, denser and more efficient memory technologies is likely to become one of the most important battlegrounds in the semiconductor sector.
Staff Writers at Open Chronicle produce in-depth, field-informed reporting on defense, diplomacy, cultural transformation, and global affairs. Known for clarity, accuracy, and analytical depth, they connect breaking developments to broader historical and strategic contexts. In addition to frontline journalism, Staff Writers also contribute to the Open Chronicle Encyclopedia, crafting authoritative entries that preserve critical knowledge and enrich public understanding.