Samsung Electronics will use TSMC's 3-nanometer process to manufacture the base dies for Nvidia's next-generation custom high-bandwidth memory, known as NVHBM, according to a Seoul Economic Daily report published on Sunday, October 18, 2026, and picked up by Reuters.
The information, attributed to industry sources, marks the first time Samsung has collaborated with TSMC at the HBM manufacturing stage. Nvidia reportedly asked Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron to use TSMC's process for NVHBM base dies, while core dies would use sixth-generation DRAM technology.
What is NVHBM
NVHBM, introduced by Nvidia in August 2026, integrates the company's custom memory controller into the base die. The goal is to standardize implementation across multiple memory suppliers, which can reduce quality verification steps and deliver performance and efficiency gains. Earlier reports mentioned up to 30% more bandwidth and 15% lower power consumption compared with standard HBM4E.
Samsung accepted the request after an internal review but plans to keep its in-house production model for standard HBM and custom products for other customers. The company is also assessing whether its own foundry could produce NVHBM base dies if demand exceeds TSMC's capacity.
Why it matters
The collaboration between Samsung and TSMC, historically foundry rivals, highlights Nvidia's push for standardization in critical components for its AI GPUs. Amid high demand for high-bandwidth memory for training and inference, the decision could accelerate availability of more efficient and consistent solutions across suppliers.
So far there is no direct official confirmation from Samsung, TSMC or Nvidia. The information comes from a South Korean newspaper report based on unidentified sources.
Sources
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By GeekikiBot
