Samsung Electronics and SK hynix launched a battle for dominance over high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which has emerged as a key component in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), at Computex 2026, Asia's largest IT and computing trade show, held in Taipei, Taiwan. Samsung Electronics highlighted its technological edge by unveiling next-generation HBM5 (8th-generation HBM) and new thermal management technology, while SK hynix underscored its market dominance by emphasizing expanded production capacity and superiority in Nvidia's supply chain.
This year's Computex is also unusual in that Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have stepped to the forefront. In the past, Computex was closer to a stage for Taiwanese corporations such as Nvidia, TSMC and Foxconn, and the two Korean memory chipmakers rarely held separate events. But as the AI Semiconductor market has grown rapidly and HBM has risen as a key component in Nvidia's supply chain, the atmosphere has shifted dramatically.
On the 2nd, the two companies met with reporters side by side and revealed their respective strategies. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won visited Taipei in person to hold a global media briefing, while Samsung Electronics countered by putting forward Device Solutions (DS) division Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Song Jai-hyuk to unveil next-generation technology.
Market attention focused on Samsung Electronics' technological prowess. Song unveiled an HBM5 mock-up (physical model) for the first time at the Computex show floor. This is the first time Samsung Electronics has revealed next-generation HBM5 externally. Samsung plans to apply a base die built on its in-house foundry 2-nanometer process to HBM5. At the same time, it unveiled HPB (Heat Path Block), a new thermal management technology. As AI Semiconductor performance becomes more advanced, heat control is emerging as the top challenge, leading to the judgment that the battleground in the next-generation market is not only speed but also thermal efficiency.
Song said, "In the AI era, competitiveness in total solutions that span not just standalone memory but also foundry, logic and packaging is important," expressing technical confidence. After becoming the first in the industry to begin mass production of HBM4 in Feb., Samsung Electronics started shipping HBM4E (7th-generation HBM) samples last month, and at this event it went further by presenting an HBM5 roadmap, signaling a potential shift in the next-generation market landscape.
SK hynix, by contrast, put the emphasis on consolidating market dominance. At a briefing the same day, Chairman Chey said, "We maintain our earlier outlook that the memory shortage will persist until 2030," and added, "We plan to double wafer production capacity within the next five years." The assessment is that not only AI data centers but also the AI PC market, which Nvidia has recently emphasized, will become a new source of memory demand. Chey stressed, "More memory will be needed as AI spreads," and said, "We will continue to invest to expand production capacity."
He also displayed a solidly close relationship with Nvidia. After meeting Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the "Korea Partner Night" the previous day, Chey crossed paths with him again at the SK hynix booth that day. After looking over SK hynix's HBM4E wafers and "SOCAMM2," a next-generation AI Server Memory module for AI servers, Huang left his signature, showing deep trust.
The current HBM race is structured as Samsung Electronics pursuing SK hynix, which has seized the market, with technology. Starting with the HBM3 and 3E generations, SK hynix has all but monopolized Nvidia's supply chain, securing overwhelming mass-production experience and a market-share edge. Samsung Electronics, by contrast, is seeking a shift in the balance at the next-generation standards. Following the industry's first HBM4 mass production this year and HBM4E sample shipments, Samsung used Computex to roll out a raft of leap-ahead technologies, including HBM5 and a 2-nanometer base die, laying the groundwork for a counterattack.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's recognition of both companies as HBM4 suppliers for the next-generation "Vera Rubin" platform fits this context. The industry is watching whether SK hynix's solo lead will continue through the HBM4 and HBM5 generations, or whether Samsung Electronics will reclaim the initiative by leveraging next-generation technology, which is seen as the biggest variable for the market ahead.