SK Hynix Set to Give High-Priced HBM4 Memory to NVIDIA
SK Hynix will soon be a top source of new HBM4 memory for NVIDIA's new AI gear, and it will cost a lot. The firm's early work on HBM4 and its close ties with NVIDIA play a big part in this high price.
The Cost of New AI Memory
Making top AI tools needs High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM). SK Hynix plans to ask for much more money for its next-gen HBM4 than what current-gen HBM3E costs.
- Sources say that SK Hynix has set the price for its 12-layer HBM4 products with NVIDIA at about $500.
- This is a 60-70% rise from the around $300 price of the same HBM3E 12-layer items.
What Makes HBM4 So Expensive
The big price hike has good reasons. It comes from a mix of market and tech things:
- Being Early: SK Hynix was one of the first to bring ready HBM4 to NVIDIA, putting it ahead of others like Samsung and Micron.
- Owning the Supply: The firm was the only one giving 12-Hi HBM3E stacks for NVIDIA's Blackwell Ultra GPUs, giving it a lot of weight in HBM4 price talks.
- Hard to Make: Making HBM4 is tough. It uses TSMC's 4nm tech for the base die, raising the cost of making.
The Fight for the HBM4 Market
SK Hynix holds a strong spot now, but its high HBM4 price might let others in. Samsung and Micron could bring lower-priced HBM4.
Samsung has advanced a lot with its 1c DRAM tech and runs its own chip-making lines. This might let Samsung join NVIDIA's HBM4 chain for things like the Rubin AI GPUs, going head-to-head with SK Hynix's share. The fight for HBM4 rule is set to be tougher than before.
