Samsung’s HBM4 Price Bid Is More Than 3× HBM3E—but It’s Not a Deal Yet

Samsung is reportedly seeking a mid-to-high $4 price per gigabit for HBM4 in 2027, compared with about $1.50 for HBM3E—more than three times as much. The figure is a reported offer in customer negotiations, not a confirmed contract price. 40

That distinction matters: the proposed price is for one next-generation product, while TrendForce’s widely cited 121% forecast is for the blended average selling price of HBM across products in 2027. It is market context, not confirmation that Samsung’s asking price will be accepted. 4

What Samsung is reportedly asking—and where talks stand

Maeil Business Newspaper reported that Samsung had begun negotiating annual HBM4 supply contracts for next year with major customers, offering prices in the mid-to-high $4 range per gigabit. The same report put current HBM3E pricing at about $1.50 per gigabit. 40

The reported offer should not be read as a settled price. Other coverage describes a substantial portion of next year’s HBM capacity as already negotiated, but Samsung’s final contract prices remain unresolved. 19 Micron, by contrast, has reportedly completed agreements for the vast majority of its calendar-2027 HBM bit supply at prices above those negotiated for 2026. 35

Why suppliers may have leverage

TrendForce attributes the tight market to growing AI-server demand and competition between HBM and conventional DRAM for limited advanced-process and wafer capacity. It also says next-generation yields and output take time to ramp, keeping supply constrained into 2027. 4

Micron’s commitments offer another sign of rising demand and pricing pressure, but they do not establish what Samsung’s customers will pay. A report on Micron’s fiscal fourth-quarter results said revenue was $54.23 billion, above the cited market forecast of $51.07 billion. 31

Qualification and rival supply could shape the final price

Customers must qualify memory products for their systems, and the reported Samsung price is subject to how qualification proceeds and what competing supply is available. Those factors could influence whether buyers accept the full proposed increase. 43

That uncertainty is one reason to distinguish an opening offer from an agreed contract price. A rival’s higher-priced agreements can support a supplier’s negotiating position, but do not guarantee that another supplier will win the same terms. Micron’s reported 2027 HBM agreements are a signal about the market—not proof of Samsung’s final price. 35

TrendForce’s 121% forecast is a different measure

TrendForce forecasts a 121% year-over-year increase in HBM’s blended average selling price in 2027. The forecast reflects both a tight supply environment and a larger share of HBM4 in the product mix. 4

A blended average combines different HBM products and their sales shares. It should not be confused with the reported price Samsung is seeking for HBM4, or interpreted as a forecast that every HBM product will rise by the same percentage.

Exports and Samsung’s next earnings update

South Korean trade reporting described strong chip exports: Aju Press, citing preliminary data, reported September chip shipments of $60.3 billion. That is a broad market signal, not evidence of a particular HBM4 contract price. 41

Samsung’s preliminary third-quarter results, expected on Oct. 8, will offer a near-term view of its business. Analysts’ expectations also come with caveats: some lowered estimates amid the stronger won and a potential bonus provision. Whatever the results show, they will not by themselves confirm the price of 2027 HBM4 contracts still under negotiation. 34

The bottom line

Samsung’s reported mid-to-high $4-per-gigabit HBM4 offer would be more than three times the roughly $1.50 HBM3E benchmark. AI demand, limited capacity and Micron’s reported higher-priced 2027 HBM commitments help explain the push for higher prices. But the reported offer is not a completed deal, and qualification, available alternatives and final customer negotiations still matter.