Samsung Electronics has achieved a critical breakthrough in high-bandwidth memory (HBM4), with its chips passing the Production Readiness Approval (PRA) and gearing up for supply to NVIDIA.

On December 2, reports indicated that Samsung Electronics recently completed the PRA for HBM4. The chips have met the company’s internal mass-production standards, accelerating plans to integrate into NVIDIA’s supply chain.

Securing NVIDIA’s supply qualification would significantly elevate Samsung’s position in the AI chip supply chain. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang previously hinted at potential collaboration, stating, "Samsung’s HBM memory chips passed testing, and progress is smooth."

Previously, SK Hynix had taken the lead in HBM4 supply negotiations, successfully driving chip prices up by over 50% to above $500 per unit, further solidifying its pricing power in the high-end memory market.

**Samsung’s Accelerated Catch-Up: Internal Tests Yield Positive Results** Samsung recently completed the PRA for HBM4, the final step in its internal quality certification process. This milestone confirms the chips meet mass-production standards, with industry observers noting its positive implications for NVIDIA’s final Qualtest and supply chain integration.

Initially planning to complete HBM4 performance evaluations and mass production this year, Samsung shifted focus to design optimization—particularly thermal performance—after failing NVIDIA’s earlier quality tests. Recent advancements in 1c-node DRAM maturity and 4nm logic process enhancements have narrowed the technical gap with competitors.

Notably, HBM4 manufacturing relies on complex integration of DRAM processes, base die design, and TSV alignment precision—factors critical to heat control and energy efficiency. Samsung’s progress could reshape the HBM market landscape. NVIDIA is actively securing HBM supply for its next-gen "Rubin" GPU, set for mass production in H2 2025, presenting a key opportunity for Samsung.

**SK Hynix Gains Foothold: HBM4 Prices Surge Over 50% with NVIDIA’s Approval** SK Hynix demonstrated strong pricing power in HBM4 negotiations with NVIDIA, pushing prices to the "mid-$500 range"—a more than 50% increase over the previous generation—reflecting its dominance in high-end HBM.

Technological upgrades justified the steep hike. HBM4 features 2,048 I/O channels, doubling HBM3E’s capacity. To manage rising costs, SK Hynix outsourced base die production to TSMC for supply chain optimization.

Despite NVIDIA’s initial resistance and considerations of future large-scale supply from Samsung and Micron, negotiations concluded at SK Hynix’s proposed price level. The company emphasized HBM4’s structural cost drivers, citing advanced processes and input expenses.