Samsung Debuts HBM4E Chip; SK Hynix Explores US Market Listing
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix highlighted their next-generation AI memory technologies at Nvidia’s GPU Technology Conference (GTC), showcasing their advancements in the competitive landscape of global artificial intelligence infrastructure.
At the four-day event in San Jose, Samsung unveiled a physical prototype of its cutting-edge High Bandwidth Memory chip, HBM4E, marking a significant step in its efforts to gain ground in the high-stakes AI memory market.
The seventh-generation chip boasts impressive speeds of up to 16 gigabits per second per pin and a bandwidth of up to 4 terabytes per second, positioning it as a vital component for future AI systems.
Samsung stated its commitment to accelerating HBM4E development, leveraging its expertise from the mass production of sixth-generation HBM4 and its advanced 1c DRAM process technology.
The tech giant further presented a diverse array of memory and storage solutions poised for integration into Nvidia’s next-generation AI platform, Vera Rubin.
HBM4 is anticipated to be a key component, among other Samsung products. The company also exhibited SOCAM2 memory modules designed for CPUs and the PM1763 storage device utilized in servers.
These products were showcased in the “Nvidia Gallery” section, alongside Nvidia’s Vera Rubin system.
Samsung emphasized its ability to deliver multiple critical components for AI servers, extending beyond HBM.
“We can provide a total solution that connects key components across AI servers,” stated a Samsung Electronics official.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang underscored the collaborative efforts with Samsung during his GTC 2026 keynote. Announcing Nvidia’s inference-focused chips, Huang revealed that Samsung is manufacturing the Groq 3 language processing unit (LPU) for the company.
“I want to thank Samsung, who manufactures the Groq 3 LPU chip for us, and they’re cranking as hard as they can. I really appreciate you guys,” Huang acknowledged.
The chip will be incorporated into Nvidia’s next-generation AI system, built upon the Vera Rubin architecture, with shipments expected to commence in the second half of the year, likely around the third quarter, according to the Nvidia CEO.
The Groq 3 LPU complements Nvidia’s Vera Rubin graphics processing unit to enhance inference performance and efficiency. Huang’s statement confirmed Samsung’s foundry division’s role in producing the chip.
SK Hynix also participated in GTC 2026 under the theme “Spotlight on AI Memory,” presenting its latest AI-centric memory technologies and products.
The memory chipmaker displayed its HBM4 and fifth-generation HBM3E products, already integrated into Nvidia GPUs, highlighting its position as a key memory supplier for AI accelerators.
Furthermore, SK Hynix showcased an enterprise solid-state drive featuring liquid-cooling technology, a collaborative development with Nvidia. The US chip giant’s AI supercomputer DGX Spark, equipped with SK Hynix LPDDR5X memory, was also featured.
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung were in attendance, along with other senior executives.
The company stated that its executives plan to engage with leading global tech companies during the event to discuss advancements in AI technology, infrastructure changes, and explore potential mid- to long-term collaborations.
“Based on our memory technology capabilities spanning the entire AI landscape, we will work with global partners to shape the future of AI,” an SK Hynix official commented.
In a related development, Chairman Chey mentioned the potential for SK Hynix to list American depositary receipts (ADRs) on US markets for the first time, during discussions with reporters at the conference.
“It would allow us to be exposed not only to Korean shareholders, but also to US and global investors, helping us become a more global company,” Chey explained.
An ADR would enable overseas companies to trade shares indirectly on US exchanges, facilitating easier stock transactions for American investors and enhancing accessibility for global investors.
In January, SK Hynix disclosed in a regulatory filing that it is considering various options to enhance corporate value, including a possible listing on US markets, although no final decision has been made.
yeeun
