SK hynix Charts Future: GDDR7-Next, PCIe 7.0 SSDs, and HBM5 Arrive by 2031

SK hynix Unveils Ambitious Roadmap: GDDR7-Next, PCIe 7.0 SSDs, and HBM5 on the Horizon

South Korean memory giant SK hynix has laid out a compelling vision for the future of memory and storage technologies, revealing its updated strategy for DRAM and NAND at the recent SK AI Summit 2025. The company's roadmap paints a picture of impressive advancements, with next-generation GDDR7-Next graphics memory and PCIe Gen7 solid-state drives slated for release between 2029 and 2031. This forward-looking plan encompasses a broad spectrum of products, from standard memory modules to highly specialized solutions engineered to tackle the burgeoning demands of AI workloads in high-performance computing, main memory, and NAND flash.

The Near Future: HBM4, LPDDR6, and PCIe Gen6 Solutions (2026-2028)

In the immediate three-year window, SK hynix is poised to make significant strides with High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). The focus will be on HBM4, featuring advanced multi-layer stacking architectures with 16-Hi configurations, and HBM4E, offered in 8, 12, and 16-Hi variants. Furthermore, a custom HBM4E version will be developed for specific client needs, showcasing a commitment to tailored solutions. On the standard DRAM front, LPDDR6 is set to lead the charge, promising enhanced performance and efficiency for mobile devices and ultra-thin laptops. For the ever-expanding AI landscape, SK hynix is developing a dedicated AI-D series. This innovative lineup will include LPDDR5X SOCAMM2, MRDIMM Gen2, LPDDR5R, and a second generation of CXL LPDDR6-PIM. The latter is particularly exciting, as it enables computation to be integrated directly within the memory modules, a crucial step towards more intelligent and efficient data processing.

The NAND segment will see the introduction of PCIe Gen5 eSSDs with capacities reaching a staggering 245TB, built upon QLC chips. Additionally, PCIe Gen6 eSSDs will cater to the enterprise market, while cSSDs will target client devices. In the mobile arena, expect UFS 5.0 and early AI-N products, which cleverly combine memory and basic logic for on-device AI computations.

Entering a New Era: DDR6, GDDR7-Next, and 400-Layer NAND (2029-2031)

The latter half of SK hynix's roadmap, spanning 2029 to 2031, heralds the arrival of a new generation of cutting-edge technologies. GDDR7-Next, the successor to the current GDDR7 (which operates at speeds of 30-32 Gbps with potential for 48 Gbps), promises a significant leap in graphical memory performance. This timeline suggests that GPU manufacturers will likely continue to leverage GDDR7 for several more years before embracing its next-generation counterpart. Simultaneously, SK hynix is gearing up for the emergence of DDR6 and 3D DRAM, which are anticipated to begin appearing in consumer PCs and server systems towards the end of the decade. The HBM family will also continue its evolutionary journey, with HBM5 and HBM5E, including specialized modifications, planned after HBM4E and custom solutions. These advanced HBM variants will feature a substantial portion of the logic (controller and protocol IP) relocated to the base die, a clever design choice that slashes power consumption and frees up valuable real estate on GPUs or ASICs. To bring these sophisticated base dies to life, SK hynix is collaborating with TSMC.

The NAND sector is set for a performance overhaul with the introduction of PCIe Gen7 eSSDs and cSSDs, UFS 6.0, and crucially, 4D NAND with over 400 layers. For AI-centric systems, the company is preparing AI-N P "Storage Next" and AI-N B solutions based on High-Bandwidth Flash, promising unprecedented data storage throughput. This strategic expansion underscores SK hynix's unwavering commitment to fueling the future of computing, particularly in the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence.