Samsung may be close to passing Nvidia’s qualification test for its HBM3E AI chips. According to the Korean media, Nvidia officials recently visited the company’s Cheonan campus to inspect its advanced packaging process, signaling progress in the approval process. The firm might obtain the approval in the first half of 2025 and start mass production of HBM4 (6th generation) chips by the end of this year.
Samsung might finally supply advanced HBM3E chips for Nvidia’s AI processors
To secure an order from Nvidia, chip companies must not only meet the technical requirements for HBM but also pass qualification tests for its packaging process. The packaging stage is crucial because HBM must seamlessly integrate with Nvidia’s advanced GPUs used in its AI processors. Samsung hasn’t been able to meet the necessary standards, while its compatriot SK Hynix has.
However, it appears the tech giant is close to obtaining this approval. Nvidia officials have reportedly visited Samsung’s Cheonan campus several times recently. The campus handles the final stages of HBM production. Interestingly, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated at CES 2025 that he was confident Samsung would succeed in supplying HBM to the company. All of this suggests the firm is on the verge of securing its qualification.
According to industry sources, Samsung has made some last-minute refinements to ensure it passes this HBM3E qualification test. Nvidia’s approval will help it close the gap with SK Hynix, its biggest competitor in the HBM market. Samsung has struggled with yield issues on its 3nm and 2nm process nodes, which has delayed its ability to compete more aggressively.
Looking ahead, Samsung is also preparing for the next generation of HBM technology. The company plans to begin mass production of HBM4 by the end of 2025. However, securing higher yields for its 10nm-class DRAM, a key component of HBM4, remains a challenge. Samsung is actively working on improving heat dissipation, power efficiency, and data signal quality to enhance performance. It remains to be seen if Samsung will secure this certification anytime soon.
