As demand for next-generation memory semiconductors rapidly increases, the performance recovery period of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix is expected to be accelerated. In particular , performance improvement effects are expected centering on HBM (high bandwidth memory) , which is supplied only by Samsung and SK worldwide . HBM is up to 10 times more expensive than existing memory semiconductors, but is in short supply due to the AI (artificial intelligence) craze. However, some say that the recovery in performance will be limited as the proportion of sales is not large. According to global market research company Gartner on the 3rd, the HBM market size is expected to grow at an average annual rate of over 36% from $1.1 billion (approximately KRW 1.4 trillion) last year to $5.177 billion (KRW 6.8 trillion) in 2027. In particular, HBM is expected to grow explosively as it is mainly스포츠토토 used in GPUs (graphics processing units) capable of processing multiple operations . . HBM has faster calculation speed and lower power consumption than existing memory semiconductors, so it is mainly used in AI servers and graphics processing. HBM is divided into generations according to capacity and processing speed, 1st generation ( HBM ) -2
Generation ( HBM2 ) -3rd generation ( HBM2E ) -4th generation ( HBM3 ) -5th generation ( HBM3E ). The 5th generation HBM has a 70% increase in capacity compared to the 4th generation and can process up to 1.15 terabytes ( TB ) of data per second.
According to the industry, HBM is up to 10 times more expensive than regular DRAM, but it is difficult to find in the market. An official in the semiconductor industry said, “ Major ICT set companies such as AMD and Meta are competing for products.” SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics each account for about 50% of the global HBM market share . Currently, only two domestic companies in the world are steadily mass producing it. SK Hynix differentiates itself with cutting-edge HBM , while Samsung Electronics differentiates itself with semiconductor packaging. SK
Samsung Electronics is building a complex system that spans from design to memory to packaging. Samsung Electronics also succeeded in developing DDR5 DRAM, the largest capacity in existence, and was able to focus limited resources by eliminating the TSV (through silicon electrode) process , which is also used in HBM . Samsung Electronics is expected to supply HBM3 to Nvidia in the United States as early as October of this year. It is evaluated that the so- called ‘two-top’ system has been strengthened as Samsung Electronics, following SK Hynix, has been included in Nvidia’s supply chain. An official from a large semiconductor industry said, “Customers can also use it to compare Samsung and SK , and it will also be helpful in technology development.” American Micron and Chinese semiconductor companies are also developing HBM . There are also expectations that HBM will accelerate the performance recovery of Samsung and SK . The semiconductor industry initially predicted that recovery would be difficult in the second half of this year as the frontline ICT (information and communication) industries such as servers, smartphones, and PCs suffered a recession. The analysis is that the performance recovery, which was expected to be in the first half of next year, may be accelerated as HBM is added to the effect of production cuts .
According to the securities industry, SK Hynix, which has a large portion of HBM , is expected to succeed in turning a profit in the third quarter of this year. Samsung Electronics is expected to take more time than this as its HBM portion is relatively small. A business official in charge of the semiconductor industry said, “ As demand for HBM increases faster than expected, we may begin a gradual recovery starting in the second half of this year.” However, there are also concerns about a global economic downturn and negative views that the recovery of other ICT markets other than HBM will not be supported. Although demand for HBM , a high value-added product , is rapidly increasing, it is expected that it will be difficult to change the atmosphere in the semiconductor market. A semiconductor researcher said, “ Demand for HBM will increase in the long term, but existing DRAM and NAND flash inventory is still high.”
Hynix recently succeeded in developing the 5th generation, widening the technological gap.
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