<p>SK Hynix welcomes a key turning point in the HBM market.</p>
<p>On March 10, Jukan, an analyst from South Korea's Citrini7, posted on platform X that, according to semiconductor industry insiders, <strong>the company will soon submit the final samples of the sixth generation high bandwidth memory (HBM4) to NVIDIA. If it passes NVIDIA's qualification certification tests, mass production purchase orders are expected to be received as early as this month.</strong></p>
<p>These samples are the result of multiple design revisions by SK Hynix since the fourth quarter of last year, aiming to meet NVIDIA's requirement for a maximum data transfer rate of 11.7 Gb/s.</p>
<p>The context of this certification test is particularly delicate. Samsung Electronics has already taken the lead by supplying some HBM4 finished products to NVIDIA in February this year, claiming to have &#34;started mass production and shipment without any redesign,&#34; gaining an advantage in the commercialization process of HBM4. If SK Hynix fails to pass the certification this time, the title of &#34;main supplier of HBM4&#34; may shift to Samsung.</p>
<h2>The Final Push After Multiple Optimizations</h2>
<p>The final samples of HBM4 submitted by SK Hynix to NVIDIA have undergone multiple rounds of optimization and iteration.</p>
<p>The article cites semiconductor industry sources, stating that since the certification testing began at the end of October last year, both parties discovered compatibility issues between the Rubin GPU's specific circuits and HBM4. SK Hynix improved chip speed by enhancing circuit characteristics and reducing the interlayer spacing of stacked chips, while NVIDIA also provided assistance on multiple levels, and the issues have now been resolved.</p>
<p>HBM4 is the core memory component of NVIDIA's next-generation AI accelerator, Rubin, which is expected to be released in the second half of this year. As SK Hynix's flagship product for 2025, HBM4 significantly outperforms traditional DRAM in both capacity and data transfer speed through vertically stacked multi-layer DRAM chips.</p>
<p>The core of this certification is not only about &#34;passing or failing,&#34; but also involves product grading. NVIDIA categorizes HBM products into two performance tiers: Bin 1 (high-end) and Bin 2. <strong>The challenge for SK Hynix is to demonstrate its technical strength in the final samples and increase the proportion of high-end tier Bin 1 in its supply.</strong></p>
<h2>Samsung's Head Start, SK Hynix Under Pressure</h2>
<p>In recent years, SK Hynix has occupied over 90% of the market share in the AI accelerator HBM market, maintaining its core supplier status with NVIDIA due to its deep binding with the company. However, as HBM4 enters the commercialization stage, this pattern is facing challenges.</p>
<p>In February this year, Samsung announced that it had begun bulk shipments of HBM4 to NVIDIA, emphasizing that it completed mass production without redesign, which is seen as a significant breakthrough in its HBM competition. In contrast, SK Hynix's certification process has been delayed due to compatibility issues, putting its main supply status for HBM4 to a substantial test.</p>
<p>Industry observers cited in the article state that <strong>whether the final samples can successfully pass certification will directly determine whether SK Hynix can maintain its core position in NVIDIA's supply chain.</strong> If certification is obstructed, Samsung is likely to establish itself as the main supplier of HBM4, reversing the landscape in the AI memory market</p>
<h2>High-level diplomacy intensifies, Group Chairman personally attends GTC</h2>
<p>At a critical stage of technological sprint, SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won will personally drive the sales push for HBM4. According to sources cited in the article, Choi Tae-won will attend the NVIDIA GTC 2026 conference opening on March 16 in Silicon Valley, where he is expected to meet with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang again and provide a special report on SK Hynix's HBM technology capabilities.</p>
<p>Last month, Choi Tae-won had &#34;fried chicken and beer&#34; with Jensen Huang in Silicon Valley, further solidifying the cooperative relationship between the two parties. This trip to GTC is seen as a high-level diplomatic effort by SK Hynix at a critical juncture in technology certification, aimed at providing support for the realization of mass production orders from a commercial relationship perspective.</p>
<h2>Successful development of 1c process LPDDR6 chip</h2>
<p>In addition to the HBM4 efforts, SK Hynix today announced the successful development of a 16GB LPDDR6 mobile chip based on the 10nm sixth-generation (1c) process, which is currently the company's most advanced DRAM process node.</p>
<p>According to SK Hynix, compared to the previous generation, the new product's data processing speed has increased by over 33%, and energy efficiency has improved by over 20%. The company plans to complete mass production preparations in the first half of this year and begin supply in the second half. The launch of the 1c process LPDDR6 demonstrates SK Hynix's continued advancement in advanced DRAM processes, providing new support for its competitiveness in the mobile memory market</p>

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<p>SK Hynix will submit the final samples of HBM4 to NVIDIA soon, and if certified, mass production is expected as early as this month. Previously, Samsung was the first to ship HBM4, while SK Hynix delayed certification due to compatibility issues, putting its position under pressure. The success or failure of this will determine who dominates the HBM4 market. SK Hynix is also advancing the mass production of 1c nanometer LPDDR6, and Chairman Chey Tae-won will personally meet Jensen Huang at GTC</p>

- SK Hynix is preparing to submit final samples of its sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) to NVIDIA, with potential mass production orders expected by the end of March if certified.  
- This development follows a competitive landscape where Samsung has already begun shipping HBM4 to NVIDIA without redesigns, putting pressure on SK Hynix's status as a primary supplier.  
- The success of the certification is crucial for SK Hynix to maintain its leading position; otherwise, Samsung may secure dominance in the HBM4 market, especially as SK Hynix also announces advancements in LPDDR6 chip technology.

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SK Hynix's crucial battle! Report: Final samples of HBM4 are about to be delivered, and if they pass NVIDIA's certification, mass production could begin this month