SK Hynix accelerates 1c DRAM ramp, targets 34% production share by Q4 2026

By Khal · · 1 min read

Editorial illustration: A purple silicon wafer stands behind a widening metallic platform covered with dark semiconductor chips, with stacked chip packages in the foreground.
AI-generated editorial illustration · AI-generated editorial illustration · Published Sep 7, 2026, 2:56 p.m. (1 hour ago)

In brief

  • SK Hynix scales 1c DRAM production to 34% by Q4 2026, up from 13% in Q2.
  • 1c DRAM foundation for SK Hynix's HBM4E high-bandwidth memory launching at scale in 2027.
  • By Q1 2027, 1c DRAM expected to reach 35% of production, surpassing 1b node at 33%.
  • SK Hynix Q4 2026 projection positions it ahead of Samsung's estimated 31% DRAM market share.
  • HBM4E samples shipped June 2026 showed 48 GB capacity and 20% better power efficiency.

Ramp trajectory and competitive positioning

SK Hynix is pushing hard on its sixth-generation 10nm-class DRAM technology, plotting an aggressive production schedule. The company's 1c DRAM share sat at roughly 10% in Q1 2026. By Q2, with substantial shipments underway, that figure climbed to 13%. The company projects 24% by Q3 2026, then the jump to 34% by Q4.

This trajectory matters for competitive positioning. That projected Q4 2026 figure of 34% would also put SK Hynix ahead of Samsung's estimated 31% DRAM output share for the same quarter. By Q1 2027, the share is expected to hit 35%, which would surpass the older 1b node's estimated 33% share, completing the transition to 1c as SK Hynix's dominant architecture.

HBM4E and the path to mass production

1c DRAM is set to become the foundational technology for SK Hynix's HBM4E, the next evolution of high-bandwidth memory. Mass production is planned for 2027. In June 2026, SK Hynix shipped 12-layer HBM4E samples with 48 GB capacity and data rates of 16 Gbps per pin. Those samples demonstrated more than 20% better power efficiency compared to HBM4.

SK Hynix has also signaled that it expects improved bit growth in the second half of 2026, driven largely by rising HBM4 volumes. Samsung has been developing its own 1c DRAM for HBM4, with reported speeds around 11.7 Gbps, but SK Hynix's lead in volume and efficiency gives it a structural advantage. Counterpoint Research projects SK Hynix to hold a mid-50% share of the HBM4 market in 2026, underscoring its dominance in this high-margin segment.

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