The HBM3E qualification race (2023–2024)
As the AI boom took off, SK hynix qualified its HBM3E memory with Nvidia first and became its main supplier. Samsung, the larger memory maker overall, spent months trying to pass Nvidia's tests and fell behind in the most profitable memory segment.
SK hynix captured most of Nvidia's HBM orders and saw profits surge. Samsung's delays cost it share and management changes followed.
SK hynix entered the HBM4 era as the market leader, with roughly 58% share by early 2026.
It shows why passing qualification matters more than shipping the first sample. Samsung sampled HBM4E first this time, but the HBM3E race was decided in the test lab, not at the sample stage.
