Nvidia’s HBM Strategy Shifts: Samsung and SK Hynix to Mass-Produce 8-Layer HBM4 at Scale in Q2 Next Year

According to South Korean media outlet ZDNet, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix plan to begin mass production and shipments of 8-layer HBM4 products to Nvidia starting in the second quarter of 2027. HBM4 is the sixth generation of high-bandwidth memory. Currently, the main HBM4 products in mass production at both companies remain the 12-layer HBM4 variant.

The new plan to add 8-layer supply is linked to Nvidia’s adjustment of memory configurations for its next-generation AI accelerator, Rubin Ultra. Nvidia initially intended to equip Rubin Ultra with seventh-generation 12-layer HBM4E products, but since the third quarter of 2026, it has begun evaluating multiple options in parallel, including 8-layer HBM4E, 12-layer HBM4, and 8-layer HBM4.

According to people familiar with the matter, Nvidia may adopt a mixed configuration of 8-layer HBM4 and 8-layer HBM4E depending on the scale of NVL rack-level systems using Rubin Ultra. While 12-layer HBM4 will remain the primary supply specification in 2026, the share of 8-layer products is expected to expand significantly starting in mid-2027.