Samsung resumes investment in 6th generation DRAM production

Amid growing market demand for high-performance memory for AI, Samsung has decided to resume investment in creating a production line of 6th generation DRAM memory chips at its P4 plant in Pyeongtaek, with the goal of starting mass production of such chips in June 2025, writes the South Korean publication ETNews.

Image source: TrendForce

The source says the 6th generation DRAM, also known as “1c”, will be manufactured using a 10nm-class process technology. In addition to Samsung, its South Korean competitor SK hynix also plans to mass produce such memory.

According to ETNews, Samsung wanted to begin construction of a new P4 workshop at its Pyeongtaek plant in 2022 and was originally going to launch it in 2024. However, having completed the construction of the production facility and providing it with the necessary infrastructure, the company did not equip the new line with production equipment. Due to lower demand in the semiconductor market, Samsung has cut costs by reducing the amount of capacity available.

In the second half of last year, the semiconductor market began to recover, so by mid-year Samsung again began investing in new projects. The company began installing equipment to produce NAND flash memory at the previously unused P4 facility and has now confirmed plans to invest in the production of 6th generation DRAM memory, writes ETNews.

Samsung is going to release trial batches of 1c DRAM by the end of this year, the source claims. It is also reported that the manufacturer is considering launching a production line for the production of HBM4 memory chips using 1c DRAM technology in the second half of 2025.

Image source: TrendForce

TrendForce analysts predict that DRAM and NAND memory industry revenues will grow by 75% and 77% respectively this year, driven by soaring demand for bits amid the general AI boom. Experts also believe that the Samsung P4L plant will become a key source for the production of high-capacity memory chips. According to their estimates, the new production line for DRAM production will be installed by mid-2025, and mass production of new chips will begin in 2026.