Samsung and SK Hynix will step up GDDR7 development
In response to the escalating demand in the global gaming sector, both Samsung and SK Hynix are accelerating their endeavors in the development of high-performance DRAM dedicated to graphics. A recent report from market research firm IGI elucidates that the GDDR market for GPUs is projected to burgeon from $3.2 billion in 2018 to $4.8 billion by 2030, manifesting an average annual growth rate of 7.6%. High-performance GDDR products, like the GDDR6, are anticipated to experience an annual growth rate that surpasses the double digits.
While GDDR is predominantly harnessed for GPUs, and its performance might be slightly eclipsed by HBM, it is significantly more cost-effective. HBM, on the other hand, is increasingly being employed in artificial intelligence (AI) servers. According to Business Korea, Micron currently holds a vanguard position in the GDDR realm. However, both Samsung and SK Hynix have set their sights on this sector, intensifying the development of GDDR7, aiming to capture the premium gaming graphics card market.
NVIDIA’s GeForce gaming graphics cards predominantly utilize GDDR supplied by Micron. Samsung, however, aspires to initially penetrate the market through HBM, and subsequently establish itself as a provider in the subsequent generation of GDDR products. Last month, Samsung heralded the completion of the industry’s pioneering GDDR7 chip, boasting a data I/O interface speed of 32Gbps. They pledge a 20% enhancement in energy efficiency compared to GDDR6 and have integrated several avant-garde technologies to achieve this. It’s understood that Samsung has already dispatched samples to NVIDIA for validation in next-generation systems. While SK Hynix hasn’t delineated a clear timeline for its GDDR7, whispers in the industry intimate that they plan to conclude their developmental pursuits within the year.
In contrast, Micron’s foray into GDDR7 seems slightly tardier. In a financial conference call for the third quarter of the fiscal year 2023 held in June, Micron’s President and CEO, Sanjay Mehrotra, confirmed their intent to debut their new GDDR7 products on the 1ß node, likely in the first half of the forthcoming year. Given this timeline, Micron appears to be trailing behind Samsung and SK Hynix. Consequently, NVIDIA might prioritize the GDDR7 products from the two Korean semiconductor behemoths.
