Samsung faces new challenges in its memory chip business as development delays for its latest DRAM technology stretch into mid-2025. The Korean tech giant’s struggles with production yields for its 10-nanometer class chips contrast with rival SK hynix’s planned rollout of similar technology next month.
Industry sources say Samsung’s first functional chip using the new process, developed in late 2024, failed to reach the 60-70% yield threshold needed for viable mass production. The setback threatens to ripple through Samsung’s product pipeline, potentially delaying its HBM4 high-bandwidth memory launch originally targeted for the second half of 2025.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Samsung as SK hynix gains momentum. The smaller rival has completed qualification for mass production of its comparable DRAM chips and plans to supply HBM4 samples to Nvidia by June 2025.
Samsung’s engineers are now redesigning aspects of the 1c DRAM to address the yield issues. But with typical 18-month development cycles in the industry, the company risks falling further behind unless it can accelerate progress. A delayed rollout could push HBM4 production into 2026, according to industry watchers.
