“Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are our biggest suppliers, and (the mention of Micron as the only memory supplier for NVIDIA's next-generation PC graphics processing unit (GPU) during the 'CES 2025' keynote speech) seems to have been inaccurate on my part. It's not a very important matter.”
Jensen Huang, the chief executive officer (CEO) of NVIDIA, explained this during a media briefing at the Fontainebleau hotel in Las Vegas, U.S., on the 7th (local time). This is in response to the controversy over whether Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix were excluded as suppliers for NVIDIA's GDDR7 GPU.
The controversy began on the 6th when CEO Huang introduced the GDDR7 memory performance of NVIDIA's next-generation PC GPU RTX50 series, mentioning that “Micron's GDDR7 has a bandwidth of 1.8 terabytes (TB) per second.” Concerns arose that Korean corporations might have failed in supplying the memory, as only Micron was mentioned as the supplier. GDDR7 is a memory semiconductor that assists the GPU in processing image information in computers. It is characterized by faster data transfer speeds compared to general memory semiconductors.
According to industry sources, it is reported that the next-generation PC GPU RTX50 series will include GDDR7 from Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron. GDDR7 DRAM has been developed not only by Micron but also by the top two memory semiconductor corporations, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. In particular, it has been identified that Samsung Electronics was the largest supplier of GDDR products related to NVIDIA.
An industry insider noted, “As the competition over high bandwidth memory (HBM) supply focused the industry's attention last year, it seems this interest has shifted to GDDR as well. While HBM may see SK Hynix and Micron lead, GDDR has long been an area where Samsung Electronics has established itself as a strong player.”
Some interpret that this was a calculated remark that incited competition among memory corporations. Typically, companies receiving parts intentionally stimulate competition among suppliers to diversify their supply chains and promote cost reduction. Chae Min-sook, a researcher at Korea Investment & Securities, said, “CEO Huang's comments regarding GDDR7 seem to be a deliberate mention, conscious of the competitive dynamics in the memory sector.”
However, there are also opinions that excessive speculation about a single word from CEO Huang should be avoided. An industry insider stated, “It is difficult for global big tech companies like NVIDIA to keep track of all memory semiconductors or manufacturers, considering the variety of their product lineups. Moreover, it is uncommon to list memory semiconductor suppliers during a CES keynote, so analyses suggesting they are excluded from the supply chain simply because a few companies were not mentioned are excessive.”