SK Hynix Completes HBM4 AI Memory Development

Seoul, South Korea - SK Hynix Inc. announced on Friday that it has completed the development of its HBM4 high-bandwidth memory and established production systems for the technology.

The company said the product utilizes 2,048 input/output terminals, double the number in the preceding version.

SK Hynix reported power efficiency gains of more than 40 percent and operating speeds exceeding 10 gigabits per second.

The company estimates the technology could improve AI service performance by up to 69 percent and reduce data center power costs.

SK Hynix said the operating speed surpasses the 8 gigabits per second standard set by JEDEC.

Joohwan Cho, head of HBM development at SK Hynix, said in a statement that completion of HBM4 development marks a milestone for the industry. 

He added that the timely delivery of the product, which meets customer needs for performance, power efficiency, and reliability, would shorten time to market and help maintain competitiveness.

The company said it applied its Advanced MR-MUF process and 1-nanometer process technology in developing the product.

SK Hynix attributed the development to rising demand for high-bandwidth memory driven by AI applications and concerns over data center power consumption.

Justin Kim, president and head of AI infrastructure at SK Hynix, said the company has established what it describes as the world's first mass production system for HBM4.

High Bandwidth Memory is a technology that vertically connects multiple DRAM chips to increase data processing speed. SK Hynix has developed six generations of the technology: HBM, HBM2, HBM2E, HBM3, HBM3E, and HBM4.