NVIDIA NVHBM Pushes HBM Base Dies to External Foundries as 2027 Prices Seen Doubling
NVIDIA's custom NVHBM architecture moves the memory controller onto the HBM base die, prompting Micron and Samsung to source base dies from external foundries including TSMC rather than building them in-house. The shift lands as suppliers push 2027 HBM prices sharply higher: Samsung is reportedly seeking more than double current levels for HBM4, while TrendForce sees industry average HBM ASP up 121% next year.
NVIDIA's NVHBM, announced in August, moves the memory controller into the HBM base die and is already reshaping how memory makers source that layer, TrendForce reported. Micron said both its NVHBM, co-designed with NVIDIA, and JEDEC-standard HBM4E will use base dies manufactured by an external foundry. For HBM4, Micron pairs 1-beta core dies with an in-house base die; HBM4E marks a broader shift, with core dies moving to the more advanced 1-gamma process - broadly equivalent to Samsung and SK hynix's 1c generation - while base die production moves outside Micron's own fabs, with TSMC expected to take on the role.
Outsourcing does not appear to come at the expense of profitability. Micron COO Manish Bhatia said the company expects NVHBM to command a higher ASP and deliver stronger margins, arguing that HBM already carries a premium while NVHBM's added customization creates even greater value. NVIDIA says NVHBM delivers up to 30% greater memory bandwidth and 15% lower HBM power consumption than standard HBM4E, while freeing up to 25% more area on the XPU compute die, with a customized I/O PHY cutting the package area occupied by the PHY by as much as 67%. Amazon's Annapurna Labs is also set to adopt the technology for its next-generation Trainium 4 AI accelerator.
Samsung is rethinking its traditionally in-house approach. ZDNet, cited by TrendForce, reported that Samsung is pursuing a dual-track strategy for custom HBM such as NVHBM, pairing its HBM core dies with base dies made by either Samsung Foundry or foundry rival TSMC depending on customer requirements, with the Memory Business expected to take charge of chip design and optimization support - a notable departure from its traditional reliance on System LSI and Samsung Foundry. SK hynix already uses TSMC's 12nm logic process for its HBM4 base die, while TSMC's more advanced 3nm process is being prioritized for HBM4E and future custom HBM products.
The structural change coincides with an aggressive pricing round. Chosun Biz reported on 7 October that Samsung is pushing to raise 2027 HBM supply prices to more than twice current levels as the product mix shifts from fifth-generation HBM3E to sixth-generation HBM4, with KB Securities forecasting a rise of more than 100% and TrendForce projecting a 121% increase in industry-average HBM ASP. Three forces are cited: firm conventional DRAM contract prices, higher wafer consumption plus the cost of Samsung's 4nm logic base die, and Micron having already contracted most of its 2027 HBM volumes at prices above 2026. TrendForce expects conventional DRAM contract prices to rise 10-15% and NAND 15-20% quarter on quarter in 4Q26, with enterprise SSD the only category where the increase accelerates.