(C) Tweak Town
LAS VEGAS — SK Hynix has once again pushed the physical boundaries of semiconductor technology, unveiling the world’s first 16-stack High Bandwidth Memory 4 (HBM4), the sixth generation of HBM. This strategic move aims to solidify its dominance in the artificial intelligence (AI) memory market by showcasing a technological "super-gap" over its competitors.
At the SK Hynix pavilion located in the Venetian Hotel during CES 2026 on January 8 (local time), the company presented the 16-stack HBM4 to the public and press for the first time. The reveal drew significant attention from industry experts and attendees, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of AI infrastructure.
The defining breakthrough of the 16-stack HBM4 lies in its dimensions and density. Despite vertically stacking 16 DRAM chips, the product maintains the same overall height as the previous 12-stack generation. According to site representatives, this was achieved by refining the Through-Silicon Via (TSV) technology and advanced packaging processes, allowing chips to be interconnected without gaps.
In terms of performance, the 16-stack HBM4 is transformative. It delivers a bandwidth exceeding 1.5 terabytes (TB) per second, a speed capable of processing over 400 high-definition movies in a single second. This represents a performance leap of more than 60% compared to the 5th-generation HBM3E, which is currently the market mainstream.
A central feature of the exhibition was a display emphasizing the firm’s ironclad partnership with NVIDIA. Adjacent to a model demonstrating the integration of NVIDIA's next-generation AI accelerators with HBM was a panel signed by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, labeled "NVIDIA Partner." This served as a potent symbol of SK Hynix’s status as a primary supplier to the world’s leading AI chip designer.
Beyond HBM, SK Hynix showcased its comprehensive AI memory lineup. The NAND flash section featured the 321-layer V9 Quadruple Level Cell (QLC), the highest layer count in the industry. Additionally, the company introduced enterprise Solid State Drives (eSSD) optimized for liquid cooling—a critical technology for modern energy-efficient data centers. These drives boast storage capacities equivalent to over 50,000 high-resolution movies. The exhibit also highlighted the LPCAMM2 server DRAM modules, designed for enhanced space efficiency and ease of replacement.
Industry analysts interpret this exhibition as SK Hynix's declaration of leadership. By resolving the technical challenges of vertical stacking and heat management in the 6th-generation HBM, the company has positioned itself as the indispensable partner for the next phase of the AI revolution.
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