Samsung HBM chips fail Nvidia tests due to high power consumption and heat generation issues – Reuters

Samsung’s newest HBM (high bandwidth memory) memory chips failed Nvidia’s test for suitability for use in artificial intelligence accelerators. The problem is that such chips consume too much power and generate too much heat. This was stated by three people with knowledge of the matter.

The problems concern Samsung’s fourth-generation HBM3 and fifth-generation HBM3E chips. The former are now widely used in graphics cards and AI task accelerators, while the latter are being launched this year. This is the first time that the reasons behind Nvidia’s benchmark failure have been reported.

Samsung stated that HBM — is a customizable memory product that requires «optimization processes to meet customer needs». Samsung also added that the company optimizes its products by working closely with customers. The company declined to comment on specific customers.

Separately, Samsung said that «claims of failures due to heat and power consumption are not true» and that «testing went smoothly and according to plan». Nvidia declined to comment on the situation.

At the same time, 3 sources said that Samsung has been trying to pass Nvidia’s tests for HBM3 and HBM3E memory chips since last year. According to two people, the results of the recent failed test for Samsung’s 8-layer and 12-layer HBM3E chips were received in April.

It is not yet clear whether these problems can be easily resolved. However, sources said that Nvidia’s failure to meet Nvidia’s requirements has increased concerns in the industry and among investors that Samsung could fall further behind rivals SK Hynix and Micron Technology in HBM memory production.

Currently, SK Hynix is the main supplier of HBM chips for Nvidia, the company has been supplying HBM3 chips since June 2022. And since the end of March, SK Hynix has also started supplying HBM3E chips to a customer who declined to be named. According to the sources, the supplies have been delivered to Nvidia.

It should be added that this week Samsung changed the head of its semiconductor division, saying that it needed a new person at the helm to cope with the «crisis» that has affected the industry.

Source: Reuters