SK Hynix’s 1c nm DRAM manufacturing process is expected to surpass 1b nm by early 2027, becoming the dominant technology to support HBM4E upgrades.
2026-09-07 10:56Chips & Hardware🔥 47.3 heat score
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SK Hynix’s sixth-generation 10nm DRAM manufacturing process, 1c nm, is expected to surpass 1b nm by the beginning of 2027, becoming the company’s most advanced memory manufacturing technology. From the first quarter of 2026 to the first quarter of 2027, the proportion of 1c nm in its total DRAM production capacity increased from 10% to 35% quarterly, while the proportion of 1b nm decreased to 33% during the same period. These two technologies will intersect by the beginning of 2027. This process will be used in the new generation of HBM4E memory, aiming to ensure a smooth transition in production capacity when upgrading from HBM4 to HBM4E. The industry expects that Samsung Electronics and Micron will have a respective share of 16% and 19% in the sixth-generation 10nm DRAM production capacity by the end of the second quarter of 2026.
SK Hynix’s sixth-generation 10nm DRAM manufacturing process, 1c nm, is expected to surpass 1b nm by the beginning of 2027, becoming its highest-capacity process. From the first quarter of 2026 to the first quarter of 2027, the proportion of 1c nm production increased from 10% to 35%, while 1b nm decreased to 33%, achieving a crossover. This process will be used in the new generation of HBM4E memory to support the evolution of HBM technology, aiming to ensure a smooth transition from HBM4 to HBM4E. Samsung and Micron’s proportions of 10nm production during the same period were 16% and 19%, respectively.
SK Hynix’s 6th-generation 10nm DRAM process, with a node size of 1c nm, is expected to surpass 1b nm by early 2027 and become the company’s leading memory manufacturing process. From Q1 2026 to Q1 2027, the proportion of 1c nm in its total DRAM production capacity increased to 10%, 13%, 24%, 34%, and 35% respectively. By early 2027, the proportion of 1b nm production capacity will reach 33%, creating a crossroads. Industry estimates suggest that Samsung Electronics and Micron’s 6th-generation 10nm DRAM production capacities will account for 16% and 19% respectively by the end of Q2 2026. SK Hynix still uses 1b nm DRAM dies in HBM4 memory, and its HBM4E version will be upgraded to 1c nm DRAM dies. Early establishment of sufficient 1c nm production capacity helps ensure a smooth transition in the HBM market from HBM4 to HBM4E.