The AI revolution is fueling an intense race in memory technology, with South Korean powerhouses SK hynix and Samsung leading the charge. Both companies are gearing up to unveil their next-generation DRAM solutions at the 2026 International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), promising unprecedented performance for AI applications. Get ready for a showdown of speed and innovation!
## SK hynix Unleashes GDDR7 and LPDDR6
SK hynix is set to redefine memory standards with its groundbreaking GDDR7 and LPDDR6 offerings. The company’s GDDR7 boasts a staggering 48 Gb/s per-pin bandwidth and a 24 Gb density, leveraging a symmetric dual-channel design. This positions it perfectly for demanding applications like high-end GPUs, AI edge inference, and immersive gaming experiences. This represents a more than 70% jump in transfer speed compared with today’s 28 Gbps GDDR7, a game changer for graphics DRAM. Bandwidth per chip reaches 192 GB/s, a significant improvement over existing products.
But that’s not all – SK hynix is also introducing its 14.4 Gb/s LPDDR6, a substantial leap from the 9.6 Gb/s of LPDDR5. This positions LPDDR6 as the ideal memory solution for high-performance smartphones, AI-powered PCs, and edge devices running generative AI workloads.
## Samsung Responds with Next-Gen HBM4
Not to be outdone, Samsung is preparing to showcase its cutting-edge HBM4, packing 36GB of capacity and delivering a blazing-fast 3.3 TB/s of bandwidth. Built on a 1c DRAM process, HBM4 refines its Through-Silicon Via (TSV) architecture to minimize inter-channel signal delays. This results in ultra-high bandwidth and low-power data transfer, critical for the next wave of AI accelerators. Samsung’s HBM4 delivers a significant bandwidth improvement over previous generations.
Samsung is currently negotiating with NVIDIA on next year’s HBM4 pricing, aiming for the same pricing level as SK hynix for its 12-layer HBM4 memory. With demand for HBM4 outstripping supply, the stakes are high in these negotiations.
The future of AI memory is here, and it’s faster and more powerful than ever before. Keep an eye on SK hynix and Samsung as they continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
