The race to deploy the next generation of GDDR7 graphics memory is on. While the competitors Samsung And Micron they plan to have their GDDR7 chips ready for the fourth quarter of 2024the South Korean semiconductor giant SK Hynix revealed at Computex 2024 that its mass production will only begin in the first quarter of 2025.
If you haven’t heard of it yet, GDDR7 is the next JEDEC standard for high-performance graphics memory intended to succeed the current GDDR6 and GDDR6X specifications. This new technology promises a Significant increase in bandwidth and capacity, necessary to meet the needs of future GPUs and AI accelerators. During Computex, SK Hynix presented the first samples of its future 16Gb and 24Gb GDDR7 chips.
The company aims to achieve data transfer speed of 40 Gbps with its GDDR7 solutions, exceeding the 32 Gbps of its competitors, who are starting with 16Gb parts. If it can reach these speeds, SK Hynix could gain an early advantage over the competition. Despite lagging a quarter or two behind Micron and Samsung, SK Hynix says having working samples already validates its design and allows partners to begin testing and qualifications.
The timing of mass production for standardized memory does not necessarily mean a company is “late”; it simply means that another supplier has secured an early production window with a specific customer. The transition to GDDR7 is crucial for SK Hynix and others, given the insatiable demand for high-bandwidth memory to power AI, graphics, and other data-intensive workloads.
Achieve the goal of mass production in Q1 2025 could ensure SK Hynix doesn’t fall too far behind in the race for GDDR7, with the ability to offer faster, higher-density chips soon after the volume ramp-up.
