SK Hynix Reportedly Considers Intel HBM4E Base Chips, Seeking to Reduce Reliance on TSMC

TradingKey - According to the latest South Korean media reports, SK Hynix (SKHY) is considering partnering with Intel's (INTC) foundry business to assign part of the production of its next-generation HBM4E base dies to Intel to expand its supply sources. The relevant plan is currently still under evaluation, and both parties have yet to finalize the specific scope and timeline of the collaboration.

The HBM base die is located at the bottom of the multi-layer DRAM chip, primarily responsible for connecting HBM with processors such as GPUs while handling data transmission and control functions. As HBM performance continues to improve, the importance of the base die has also increased significantly. SK Hynix's previous HBM3E base die mainly used an in-house process, but starting with HBM4, the company turned to TSMC's (TSM) advanced logic processes.

Currently, the base die of SK Hynix's HBM4 product uses TSMC's 12nm-class process. South Korean media cited industry estimates stating that the cost of HBM4 base dies produced by TSMC could reach three to four times that of core DRAM dies. As HBM4E enters the mass production preparation stage, SK Hynix is seeking more foundry options to reduce manufacturing costs and enhance supply chain stability.

According to reports, SK Hynix may simultaneously adopt two suppliers, TSMC and Intel, to produce base dies starting from HBM4E in the future, rather than shifting completely from TSMC to Intel. In addition, the company is evaluating advanced packaging technologies from both sides, including TSMC's CoWoS-S and CoWoS-L as well as Intel's EMIB.

SK Hynix has accelerated the advancement of its HBM4E products. In June this year, the company announced the shipment of 12-layer HBM4E samples to key customers, with the product reaching a maximum data transfer speed of 16Gbps and a power efficiency improvement of over 20% compared to the previous generation, while planning to push forward subsequent mass production with customers.

If a collaboration is ultimately reached, this will mark significant progress for Intel's foundry business in entering the next-generation HBM supply chain. It also implies that SK Hynix's HBM supply chain may gradually shift from its current primary reliance on TSMC to a multi-supplier model. However, SK Hynix and Intel have not yet officially announced a foundry agreement for HBM4E base dies, and specific production arrangements remain to be further confirmed.