SK hynix has started shipping 12-layer HBM4E memory samples to major customers, pulling its timeline forward by several months and intensifying what’s become the most consequential hardware race in the AI era.
The samples pack 48GB of capacity and hit speeds of up to 16 Gbps per pin. Power efficiency improved by over 20% compared to earlier generations.
The specs and the tech behind them
SK hynix credits much of the improvement to its Advanced MR-MUF technology, which cuts heat resistance by 17%. Stacking 12 layers of memory on top of each other generates a lot of heat, and this packaging method keeps things cool enough to work reliably under sustained AI workloads.
The company had originally planned to introduce HBM4E samples in the second half of 2026. Faster-than-expected development pushed that timeline up to June, with shipments beginning on June 18.
