Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics is set to begin customer delivery of its high-bandwidth memory 4 (HBM4) chips to Nvidia in the third week of this month, which will mark the world’s first shipment of a mass-produced version to a customer.
According to industry officials, Sunday, Samsung Electronics has decided to begin Nvidia-bound HBM4 shipments after the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, or Seollal, which falls on Feb. 17 this year.
Samsung Electronics has completed Nvidia’s qualification process for HBM4 and finalized the delivery schedule in line with the launch plans for Nvidia’s new artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators, including the Vera Rubin platform, industry officials said.
Nvidia is expected to demonstrate its Vera Rubin platform at the upcoming GTC 2026, scheduled for March 16 to 19. CEO Jensen Huang said during CES 2026 last month that Vera Rubin chips are in full production, raising expectations that the platform will be available in the second half of 2026.
Samsung Electronics declined to comment on customer-related matters, but its HBM4 chips have been selected for Nvidia’s new platform after exceeding performance standards set by the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC).
Samsung is fabricating its HBM4 chips using its 1c process, the sixth-generation 10-nanometer-class DRAM technology, for the DRAM cell die, while using a 4-nanometer foundry process for the base die.
This allows Samsung’s HBM4 chips to achieve data processing speeds of up to 11.7 gigabits per second (Gbps), exceeding the JEDEC’s standard of 8 Gbps.
Against this backdrop, competition between Samsung and its main rival, SK hynix, is expected to intensify over the supply of HBM4 chips to Nvidia. Industry sources say SK hynix is likely to supply larger volumes, as it is widely seen to have achieved more stable yields, while Samsung is pursuing an early foothold in the market through performance competitiveness.
SK hynix is using TSMC’s 12-nanometer foundry process for the base die, while relying on its own fifth-generation 1b DRAM process for its HBM4 chips.
Industry officials said achieving stable yields while using an advanced process will be critical for Samsung, and that competition between the two memory chip makers will hinge on how much Samsung can improve yields as it ramps up production.
