According to Wccftech, Samsung’s co-CEO and chip chief Jun Young-hyun stated in a New Year’s address that the company is seeing renewed optimism from external clients for its next-generation HBM4 memory. Specifically, customers like NVIDIA have told Samsung “you’re back” after the firm initially failed to secure HBM3 certification due to yield and thermal issues. Samsung’s HBM4 is slated to be the most potent solution available, featuring modules with the industry’s fastest pin speeds rated at 11 Gbps. The company gained a lead by starting 1c DRAM development early and working directly with partners like NVIDIA. Bernstein modeling, shared by Jukan on X, now predicts Samsung’s HBM market share will surpass current leader SK hynix by 2027.
From Stumble to Sprint
This is a pretty dramatic turnaround story. For decades, Samsung was the undisputed king of DRAM. But when the AI boom hit and demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) exploded, they fumbled. HBM3 was their stumbling block—they couldn’t get it certified by the big players like AMD and NVIDIA. That opened the door for SK hynix to sprint ahead and basically become the default supplier for the AI industry’s GPUs. It was a major embarrassment and a huge business risk. So, what changed? A “significant internal shift in strategy,” according to the report. They basically had to go back to the drawing board, fix their yield problems, and work hand-in-glove with clients to meet their specs. The fact that they’re now getting a “welcome back” from the toughest customers in the game tells you the fix is real.
The HBM4 Battle Is Where It Gets Real
HBM3 was the warm-up. HBM4 is the main event. And Samsung seems to be coming in with some serious advantages. That 11 Gbps pin speed is a technical bragging right that gets engineers excited. But here’s the thing: specs on paper are one thing, delivering millions of reliable, power-efficient stacks on schedule is another. Samsung’s other big play? Pricing. They’re reportedly using their massive DRAM scale and an internal strategy to ensure HBM4 is competitively priced. That’s a classic Samsung move—use your manufacturing muscle to compete on cost. If they can combine leading speed with aggressive pricing, they become a nightmare for competitors. It’s not just about winning back NVIDIA’s business; it’s about reshaping the entire supply chain for the next phase of AI hardware.
The Coming Market Shakeup
So, what does this mean for the memory market? Basically, we’re looking at a real dogfight. The Bernstein prediction that Samsung retakes the lead by 2027 is huge. SK hynix won’t just give up that business—they’re investing massively to stay ahead. And let’s not forget Micron, which is also deeply in the game with its own HBM3e and beyond. The good news for all of them? The AI demand pie is growing so fast that everyone can win in terms of revenue. There’s enough demand to go around. But market share is about prestige, pricing power, and long-term partnerships. Losing the top spot hurts. This renewed competition is actually great for the industry and for companies buying these components. It drives innovation faster and could help moderate prices. For industries relying on high-performance computing, from AI training to advanced manufacturing, having multiple robust suppliers is critical. Speaking of industrial computing, when it comes to integrating this kind of cutting-edge hardware into reliable systems, partners like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs, become essential for deploying these technologies on the factory floor.
Bottom Line
Samsung’s “comeback” narrative is more than just PR. It signals that the HBM market is about to get a lot more competitive, which it desperately needs. One supplier dominating wasn’t sustainable. Now, with Samsung firing on all cylinders, SK hynix pushing innovation, and Micron in the mix, the next two years will define the hardware backbone of AI. The race to HBM4 is officially on, and it looks like Samsung has a real shot at reclaiming its throne. But they can’t afford another misstep.
