Samsung is reportedly on a mission to reinvent its 6th-generation 1c DRAM. The goal? To boost production efficiency and get a leg up on its forthcoming HBM4 technology.
Samsung’s 1c DRAM Chip: A Pivotal Piece for HBM4 and Memory Business Success
Samsung is currently rethinking its 1c DRAM process, a crucial element for moving forward with its HBM4 initiative. According to insights from ZDNet Korea, since the latter half of 2024, the tech giant has been reassessing its high-end DRAM design. The aim is clear: adapt its cutting-edge DRAM to encourage industry uptake of its new HBM solutions, unlike the troubled integration experienced by its HBM3 versions, which failed to gain significant traction even with major players like NVIDIA.
The buzz is that Samsung’s advanced DRAM efforts have not yet hit the desired yield, supposed to be between 60% and 70%. This shortfall has kept mass production just out of reach. The core issue seems to be the 1c DRAM chip’s size. Initially, Samsung focused on downsizing the chip to ramp up production, but this came at a cost: stability. As a result, the yield rates didn’t meet expectations.
In response, Samsung has revamped the 1c DRAM design by increasing the chip’s size. The focus now is on enhancing yields, even if it demands a heftier price tag, aiming for stability in mass production by mid-year.
Samsung’s 1c DRAM process is a linchpin for the success of its HBM4 offerings, especially with rivals like SK Hynix and Micron fine-tuning their technologies. With the shadow of the HBM3 mishap still looming, Samsung doesn’t have the luxury of time. It’s critical that the 1c DRAM meets industry standards to restore the company’s standing.
At this point, where Samsung’s 6th-generation DRAM process is headed remains up in the air. Nonetheless, there’s hope for progress in the coming months. Should things go according to plan, Samsung might just have its HBM4 ready for mass production by the year’s end.
