Samsung Speeds Up LPDDR6 RAM Development to Counter CXMT Threat

Samsung is stepping on the gas pedal in the race for next-gen RAM chips, driven by pressure from China’s CXMT.

A new report reveals that Samsung is now accelerating the development of LPDDR6 RAM ahead of its original schedule, as CXMT has completed work on its own LPDDR5X chips and is already moving toward LPDDR6.

According to South Korean outlet Business Post, CXMT plans to begin production of LPDDR6 as early as next year. This has lit a fire under Samsung, which will now push forward with its LPDDR6 project based on its advanced 1c DRAM process – the sixth generation of its DRAM tech – offering both better performance and energy efficiency.

Samsung isn’t just building chips for the sake of competition. It already has a high-profile client: Qualcomm. The chipmaker’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 processor is expected to support LPDDR6 and will likely be at the heart of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra set for release in early 2026. That chip will be produced by TSMC using its latest N3P 3nm process.

Even though CXMT currently holds only around 5% of the global RAM market, the psychological impact of their rapid progress is significant. Meanwhile, SK Hynix leads the pack with 36% of the market, followed by Samsung with 33.7–34.4%, and Micron trailing with around 24.5%.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra, which features Samsung’s LPDDR5X RAM built on a 12nm node, will soon be overtaken by faster, more efficient memory. Older phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra used 14nm LPDDR5X, but the LPDDR6 shift promises a noticeable leap forward.

Samsung’s early push into LPDDR6 may be just what it needs to stay competitive – and not just in specs, but in market dominance.