Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are reportedly in the running to supply 24Gb GDDR7 memory for Sony's next-generation PlayStation, as tight memory supply complicates planning for the Japanese company's next hardware platform.
GameGPU reported on September 20 that Sony is considering 32Gbps GDDR7 from Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron for the console widely referred to as the PlayStation 6, with the two South Korean suppliers expected to provide most of the 3GB chips. The reported configuration calls for 30GB of GDDR7 across a 160-bit memory interface. The publication did not identify the source of the information.
Sony has not confirmed the suppliers, memory configuration, or launch schedule.
Memory crunch clouds launch timing
The report said large-scale assembly could begin around mid-2027, but the timing remains uncertain. Bloomberg reported in February, citing people familiar with Sony's thinking, that the company was considering pushing the debut of its next PlayStation to 2028 or even 2029 amid the global memory shortage.
Sony said in May that no decision had been made on the timing or pricing of its next-generation platform. The company added that rising memory prices were increasing bill-of-materials and manufacturing costs, while it had already secured the memory volumes needed for 2026 and agreed on pricing to some extent.
Development spending on the new platform is nevertheless underway. Sony's July 31 earnings materials cited increased costs, including investments in its next-generation platform. The company also said it had secured enough memory to meet its projected PS5 sales volume for the current fiscal year and was continuing to monitor the availability of additional supply.
Memory availability remains tight across the electronics industry as data-center demand absorbs capacity. SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung told Reuters in July that 2027 could be the worst year in the industry's history from a supply perspective, with customer demand expected to continue exceeding the company's production capacity beyond 2030.
Three suppliers ready at 24Gb
The three memory suppliers named in the PS6 report have all disclosed 24Gb, or 3GB, GDDR7 products, putting the reported console requirements within the industry's existing technology capabilities.
Samsung developed its 24Gb GDDR7 in October 2024 using its fifth-generation 10nm-class, or 12nm-class, DRAM process. The chip operates at 40Gbps and can reach 42.5Gbps depending on operating conditions. Samsung's business report records January 2025 as the point when it became the first company in the industry to produce 24Gb GDDR7.
SK Hynix has also moved into the 3GB GDDR7 segment. At Nvidia's GTC 2026 in March, the company displayed a 3GB GDDR7 product optimized for video and graphics workloads. SK Hynix's earlier GDDR7 product operates at 32Gbps and can reach up to 40Gbps depending on operating conditions.
Micron has also expanded its GDDR7 line to 24Gb density. The US memory maker's latest materials describe 24Gb GDDR7 operating at 36Gbps, above the 32Gbps level cited in the PS6 report. Its GDDR7 portfolio targets gaming, AI and high-performance computing.
Order split and timing still open
The availability of 24Gb GDDR7 from all three major DRAM suppliers gives Sony several potential sources for the high-density memory described in the report. The larger question is how orders would be divided and when Sony would make supply commitments as memory makers balance consumer demand against rapidly expanding data-center requirements.
For Samsung and SK Hynix, securing a next-generation PlayStation design win could add a high-volume consumer application for 24Gb GDDR7 alongside graphics cards and other computing products. For Sony, having multiple potential suppliers could provide greater sourcing flexibility as memory availability and component costs remain uncertain.
The launch timetable remains unresolved. GameGPU's mid-2027 assembly schedule contrasts with both the possibility of a 2028 or 2029 launch reported earlier by Bloomberg and Sony's own statement that no timing decision has been made. Until Sony provides further details, the supplier selections, memory configuration, and production schedule remain unconfirmed.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
