CXMT hits 90% yield on DDR5 chips despite U.S. sanctions

Chinese memory chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies has reportedly achieved a 90% yield rate on its 17-nanometer DDR5 chips, a milestone that marks the company's transition from an emerging domestic supplier to a potential volume competitor in the global DRAM market.

Closing the Manufacturing Gap

The yield figure, first reported by Chinese outlet MyDrivers and covered by WCCFTech on Tuesday, represents a sharp improvement from the roughly 80% DDR5 yield that Citigroup analysts documented in late 2024. A 90% yield is generally considered the threshold at which a chipmaker can reliably ship in commercial volumes without excessive waste.wccftech+1

CXMT's 17-nanometer process remains a generation behind the leading edge. Micron ↗ 0.87%, SK Hynix ↗ 4.70%, and Samsung Electronics produce DDR5 on more advanced 10-nanometer class nodes using extreme ultraviolet lithography — equipment that CXMT cannot access due to U.S. export controls. Still, CXMT's ability to achieve high yields on older deep-ultraviolet tools demonstrates a path to cost-competitive volume production even without cutting-edge equipment.wccftech

PC Makers Begin Quiet Adoption

The yield improvement arrives as several major PC manufacturers have already begun qualifying and deploying CXMT chips. According to Nikkei Asia reporting from early August, HP ↘ 2.45%, Asus ASUSTeK Computer Inc., and Acer completed qualification of CXMT DRAM around mid-2026 and have started using the chips in a limited number of notebook models. Laptops with CXMT memory are being sold primarily outside the United States, with HP restricting use to products destined for Mainland China.benzinga+2

Dell ↘ 3.69% has reportedly banned CXMT chips entirely from its products. The cautious approach from global brands reflects concern about the reaction of the three dominant memory suppliers, which collectively control the vast majority of the market.wccftech

Competitive Pressure on Incumbents

The development adds another dimension to competitive pressures facing Micron. Analysts at 24/7 Wall St. this week cited SpaceX's planned Terrafab facility as a separate long-term threat to the memory oligopoly's pricing power. CXMT's progress from the supply side compounds that concern — even if the Chinese firm cannot match the performance of EUV-manufactured chips, its ability to offer cost-competitive DDR5 in volume could pressure pricing in mainstream PC and consumer segments.247wallst

CXMT is prioritizing most of its production capacity for domestic customers such as Huawei, limiting supply available to global PC vendors for now.technode