Micron Technology(US:MU) Hua Er Jie Jian Wen·2026-01-23 12:33Core Insights - The competition in high bandwidth memory (HBM) technology is intensifying, with major storage chip manufacturers accelerating their focus on customized HBM4E solutions [1] - Samsung Electronics is significantly increasing its R&D investment, aiming to complete the design of its customized HBM4E by mid-2026, indicating a shift from standardized products to high-performance customized solutions [1] - The industry anticipates that HBM4E will be launched in 2027, followed by HBM5 in 2029, as major manufacturers like SK Hynix and Micron are also progressing on similar timelines [1][4] Group 1: Samsung's Strategy - Samsung has established dedicated teams for both standardized and customized HBM designs and has recently hired 250 engineers specifically for customized projects, targeting major tech clients like Google, Meta, and NVIDIA [1] - Samsung is currently in the backend design phase of HBM4E, which constitutes 60% to 70% of the overall design cycle, focusing on physical design after the RTL logic development [3] - The company plans to utilize a 2nm process for its customized HBM, aiming for higher performance, following the 4nm process used for its current HBM4 logic die [3] Group 2: Competitors' Approaches - SK Hynix and Micron are relying on deepening their collaboration with TSMC to address the challenges of customization, with both companies expected to complete their customized HBM4E development around the same time as Samsung [4] - SK Hynix is working closely with TSMC to develop next-generation HBM logic dies and is adopting a 12nm process for mainstream server logic dies, upgrading to a 3nm process for high-end designs [4] - Micron has commissioned TSMC to manufacture its HBM4E logic dies, aiming for production in 2027, but is facing structural disadvantages due to its decision to stick with existing DRAM processes [4]