SK hynix sharply raises share of leading edge DRAM… 1c to become main process early next year SK hynix is rapidly expanding the production share of its sixth generation 10nm class (1c) DRAM. With 1c DRAM set to serve as the core die stacked into next generation high bandwidth memory (HBM4E), the company appears to be accelerating its process transition. As demand for high value added memory for servers and artificial intelligence (AI) grows, the race with Samsung Electronics and Micron to migrate to finer process nodes is also heating up. "1c process share expected to exceed 34% within the year" According to industry sources on the 7th, SK hynix's 1c DRAM share rose from around 10% in the first quarter of this year to the 13% range in the second quarter. It is projected to reach the 24% range in the third quarter and the 34% range in the fourth quarter. In the first quarter of next year, the 1c share is expected to climb to the 35% range, overtaking 1b (33% range) for the first time and becoming the company's main process. The share of 1b (fifth generation 10nm class) DRAM was found to have peaked at the 43% range in the second quarter of this year and turned downward. As the production shift to 1c gets into full swing, the share of older generation processes is shrinking in sequence. Industry estimates show that, as of the end of the second quarter, Samsung Electronics' 1c share stood in the 16% range and Micron's in the 19% range, somewhat ahead of SK hynix (13% range). However, with SK hynix stepping up the pace of its transition in the second half of this year, it is expected to overtake Samsung Electronics (31% range) on a fourth quarter basis (34% range). On its second quarter earnings conference call last month, SK hynix said that supply of DRAM built on the sixth generation 10nm class (1c) process had begun in earnest in the second quarter. The company projected that bit growth (the rate of increase in production volume) in the second half of this year would exceed the first half, driven by expanding HBM4 (sixth generation HBM) volumes and rising shipments of 1c based commodity DRAM. Process transition in preparation for HBM4E performance gains The battle for HBM4 leadership between Samsung Electronics and SK hynix is also intertwined with the pace of the 1c transition. Samsung Electronics is applying 1c DRAM from the HBM4 stage onward and is touting top tier performance with operating speeds of around 11.7Gbps. SK hynix, by contrast, chose a strategy that prioritizes mass production stability, relying on its proven 1b DRAM and advanced MR-MUF packaging technology, and is applying 1c DRAM as the core HBM die for the first time starting with next generation HBM4E (seventh generation HBM). Industry observers say this difference in strategy is being reflected in the two companies' market shares. Major research firms including Counterpoint Research project this year's HBM4 market share, on a combined basis across NVIDIA, Google, AMD and others, at the mid 50% range for SK hynix, the high 20% range for Samsung Electronics, and the high 10% range for Micron. The picture is one in which SK hynix holds its volume advantage on the strength of mass production stability, while Samsung Electronics seeks to expand share through a technical spec advantage. Against this backdrop, analysts say SK hynix's push to speed up the 1c transition will translate into tangible benefits in cost and productivity, beyond simply shrinking the node. Since bit output per wafer rises compared with the previous generation, more bits are produced from the same wafer input, improving cost competitiveness, which is cited as a factor that will help defend DRAM segment profitability from the second half onward. With the 1c transition proceeding alongside a growing mix of high value added products for servers and HBM, analysts say productivity gains are highly likely to feed directly into margin improvement. An official in the semiconductor industry said, "The pace of the 1c transition itself is encouraging, but it only becomes meaningful if actual production yields and customer qualification schedules back it up," adding, "Starting with HBM4E, the fine process competition between Samsung Electronics and SK hynix will intensify further."