Samsung Electronics will be the first in the industry to supply samples of the 7th generation High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM4E), following its 6th generation HBM4. This move further solidifies Samsung’s technological leadership and supply competitiveness in the HBM market. Earlier in February, Samsung Electronics had already taken the lead by initiating mass production and supply of HBM4, marking another industry first.
Samsung Leads Next-Gen HBM Market With World’s First HBM4 and HBM4E
According to industry sources on Friday, Samsung Electronics has begun supplying HBM4E samples. While competitors are still in the process of customer verification for HBM4, Samsung has not only started mass-producing HBM4 but is now first to supply HBM4E samples.
The financial sector is closely watching Samsung Electronics’ growth potential in the HBM market. UBS has revised its 2027 HBM shipment forecast upward, factoring in Samsung’s aggressive investment expansion. Major securities firms predict a substantial improvement in Samsung Electronics’ memory business performance, driven by the increased supply of HBM4 and high-value artificial intelligence (AI) memory.
Industry experts believe that from the HBM4 generation onward, the ability to respond to customer-specific designs and maintain stable mass production capabilities will become increasingly crucial. They anticipate that Samsung’s combined strengths in memory, foundry, and packaging will become even more prominent.
HBM4E Sample Supply Accelerated, Expanding Customer Collaboration
After being the first to mass-produce HBM4, Samsung Electronics is now pioneering the supply of HBM4E samples, reinforcing its image as a technology leader.
This development comes ahead of the timeline mentioned by Hwang Sang-joon, Vice President of Samsung Electronics’ Memory Business Division, at NVIDIA GTC 2026 in March. Industry observers note that Samsung is accelerating the development and verification of next-generation HBM faster than anticipated.
HBM4E is a next-generation AI memory product that achieves speeds up to 16Gbps and bandwidth levels of 4TB/s, presenting significantly higher technical challenges in heat generation, power efficiency, and stacking technology.
An industry insider commented that Samsung’s success in being the first to supply HBM4E samples demonstrates its lead in core technologies for next-generation HBM. Given that HBM requires extensive joint verification and optimization with graphic processing unit (GPU) and ASIC clients, the timing of sample supply directly correlates with potential entry into future mass production supply chains.
HBM4 Mass Production On Track, Setting New Standards for Next-Gen AI Systems
Since initiating the world’s first mass production of HBM4 in February, Samsung Electronics has been consistently supplying global clients.
Samsung’s HBM4 received high praise after demonstrating an industry-leading speed of 11.7Gbps in the final SiP (System in Package) test at the end of last year.
Samsung aims to spearhead the transition to the next-generation AI memory market through HBM4E.
As AI system competition shifts from raw computational power to resolving memory bottlenecks, the ability to process and supply data rapidly has become a critical competitive advantage.
From the HBM4 generation onward, the market is expected to shift from general-purpose products to customer-specific solutions, with Samsung leveraging its turnkey competitiveness in memory, foundry, and packaging to intensify its market penetration.
As a semiconductor company with capabilities across memory, foundry, and packaging, Samsung is well-positioned to provide a comprehensive range of core semiconductor infrastructure needed for the AI era.
An industry expert noted that the market is focusing on the potential increase in Samsung’s HBM market share as HBM demand grows, and expressed confidence that Samsung will lead the growth of the next-generation AI memory market, backed by its industry-leading production capacity and investment capabilities.
