Samsung begins mass production of 2nd-generation HBM2 memory

Earlier today, Samsung Electronics announced that the 2nd-generation 8 GB High Bandwidth Memory-2 (HBM2) has entered the mass production stage. Known as Aquabolt, this premium memory solution is the direct successor of the first HBM2, known as Flarebolt.

According to the official press release, this new product is the first HBM2 capable of delivering a 2.4 Gbps data transfer speed per pin. This leads to a performance increase of almost 50 percent over the 1st-generation 8 GB HBM2 package. Samsung's figures for the Aquabolt are nothing but impressive: 307 GBps data bandwidth for a single package and 1.2 TBps in a system that uses four 2nd-generation HBM2 packages.

Samsung used a few new technologies for the design of the new memory. A single 8 GB HBM2 package is made using eight vertically interconnected 8 Gb HBM2 dies. The new chip design includes an increased number of thermal bumps for stronger thermal control, as well as an additional protective layer at the bottom that provides an increased physical strength for the entire package.

Samsung did not mention any hardware products that will use the new technology, but it is not hard to guess that we will see high-end graphics cards with 2nd-generation HBM2 memory by the end of the year.