NVIDIA has quietly introduced SK Hynix as a new memory partner for its GeForce RTX 50 series lineup, alongside Samsung for GDDR7 modules. Initially expected to appear on standard RTX 5070 cards, SK Hynix memory was first spotted on RTX 5070 Ti models, particularly in China. Users on Chiphell and Baidu confirmed through GPU-Z that SK Hynix chips, running at 28 Gbps officially, can be safely overclocked to 34 Gbps. This indicates that performance and overclocking capabilities are not compromised by switching to a second supplier, ensuring enthusiasts can expect similar performance to Samsung-sourced modules.
However, some users have faced issues when attempting to cross-flash BIOS files between SKUs using Samsung memory. Flashing an RTX 5070 Ti BIOS from a Samsung-equipped card onto one with SK Hynix memory has caused booting problems for some. Fortunately, dual-BIOS designs allow users to revert to factory firmware and restore normal operation easily. TechPowerUp's BIOS database suggests that current firmware versions from various board partners already support GDDR7 modules from Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. This indicates that flashing issues may be due to board-specific power settings or other configuration differences, as each GPU maker designs their boards uniquely, potentially leading to errors if firmware is swapped. Since SK Hynix-based cards work well out of the box, most users will not need to flash different firmware.
