Samsung’s HBM4 yields are reportedly closing in on 80 per cent, giving it a better shot at the AI memory bunfight.
Samsung has had a rough trot in the HBM market while trying to catch SK hynix and Micron. The company has spent several generations trying to design and validate memory with partners, but progress has been slow. Now Samsung has reportedly hit a useful milestone on its HBM roadmap, particularly around HBM4.
According to Sedaily, Samsung has achieved an HBM4 yield rate of almost 80 per cent. That is considered a “Golden Yield” in the industry.
Samsung started mass production of its latest HBM4 memory in February 2026. The chips offer 12-Hi stacks with up to 36GB capacity per stack. The DRAM modules run at 11.7Gbps to 13Gbps speeds.
Samsung’s HBM4 uses 10nm-class DRAM process technology, known as 1c, alongside a 4nm logic process.
The kit offers up to 3.3TB/s of bandwidth per stack, a 2048-pin IO and 12-Hi HBM4 in 24GB to 36GB capacities. Samsung has 16-Hi HBM4 planned with 48GB capacities.
The company claims a 40 per cent improvement in power efficiency, 10 per cent better thermal resistance than HBM3E and 30 per cent better heat dissipation.
When mass production was announced, Samsung’s HBM4 yield was reportedly around 60 per cent. After tweaking its production plan, the company appears to have hit its year-end target early.
That gives Samsung more credibility in a market where it has looked a bit like the late guest at an AI gravy dinner. The company has reportedly raised its third-quarter HBM4 DRAM revenue target threefold.
It expects HBM4 to make up more than 60 per cent of its HBM products in the second half of 2026. That puts Samsung in a stronger position against SK hynix, which has dominated the HBM market.
For HBM4E, Samsung has reportedly lifted the reliability test yield to 70 per cent. The company is preparing to enter the next-generation HBM segment with 48GB stacks and up to 4TB/s bandwidth per DRAM stack.
AMD is already using Samsung’s HBM4 memory for its Instinct MI400 platform. The AMD Instinct MI455X graphics processing unit is aimed at frontier AI and AI factory deployments.
It is part of the AMD Instinct MI400 series, built for organisations running AI and HPC workloads. With HBM4E improving, Samsung is trying to get Nvidia interested for Rubin Ultra and AMD’s next MI500 series.
Samsung’s HBM roadmap now looks less like wishful thinking and more like a serious run at AI DRAM. That will not make SK hynix or Micron sleep better, especially with AI customers hoovering up every useful stack they can find.
