[News] Samsung Reportedly Plans 200K 1c DRAM Wafers/Month by 2026, About One-Third of Its Total Output

The next-generation memory race is intensifying, and Samsung is stepping up its push to regain the lead in the DRAM market. According to ETNews, citing sources, the company aims to expand its 1c DRAM production capacity to 200,000 wafers per month by the end of 2026.

In specific, the report adds that Samsung aims to secure capacity for 60,000 wafers per month by the end of 2025, expand this by another 80,000 wafers by the second quarter of 2026, and add a further 60,000 wafers in the fourth quarter, reaching a total of 200,000 wafers per month. These targets refer to equipment setup stages, with the goal of achieving mass-production readiness at each milestone.

Samsung’s Bold 1c DRAM Expansion Strategy

Samsung’s plan to allocate a dedicated 200,000-wafer monthly capacity for 1c DRAM is considered highly significant. With the company’s total DRAM output currently estimated at 650,000 to 700,000 wafers per month, this allocation would represent roughly one-third of overall production and far surpass the 130,000-wafer capacity Samsung added during the 2022 semiconductor boom, according to ETNews. As the report highlights, the expansion will be achieved through process transitions at existing DRAM lines and new investments at the Pyeongtaek P4 facility.

This move reflects Samsung’s confidence in 1c DRAM and the strength of market demand. As the report indicates, DRAM supply has fallen short of demand due to AI-driven growth. With buyers placing orders even before products are manufactured and Samsung successfully developing next-generation 1c DRAM, the company is making a strategic decision to ramp up investment aggressively.

Notably, Samsung has resumed construction of its Pyeongtaek Campus Line 5 (P5), which had been suspended for two years, and is now in full swing. P5, which is targeted for operation in 2028, will be built as a key base for producing next-generation HBM and 10nm-class 6th generation 1c DRAM, as highlighted by NewsPim.

SK hynix Ramps Up 1c DRAM Production Through 2026

Meanwhile, SK hynix plans to begin mass production of its 1c DRAM in 2025, with a full ramp-up slated for 2026. According to ZDNet, the company expects that by the end of 2026, more than half of its domestic general-purpose DRAM output will be based on 1c DRAM, and it also aims to build out a full 1c-based LPDDR and GDDR product lineup.

Read more

• [News] SK hynix Reportedly Raises Yongin Investments to KRW 600T; Samsung Also Boosts Spending
• [News] SK hynix Reportedly Poised for Over 70% Operating Margin for General-Purpose DRAM amid Tight Supply

(Photo credit: Samsung)