China's biggest memory chipmaker, CXMT, says it will launch a new, denser type of server memory by the end of the year, Tom's Hardware reported. Rivals Samsung and SK Hynix have only shown that design in research papers so far, the outlet said.

CXMT president Cao Kanyu spoke about the product at a chip conference on Saturday, Tom's Hardware reported, citing the Chinese outlet Yicai. A company spokesperson confirmed his comments, Gulf News said.

The product is DDR5 memory for servers, the kind used in data centers, not phones or laptops. It uses a new layout called 4F², which packs each memory cell into a smaller space, both outlets reported.

To fit the cells that tightly, the tiny switch in each cell has to stand upright, Gulf News explained. That has been hard to make for years.

On paper, the design cuts each cell's footprint by about a third, Tom's Hardware said. Gulf News said it could raise the amount of memory on a chip by 30% to 50%. More memory per chip could mean lower costs for servers.

CXMT has not shared speeds, sizes or factory results. Tom's Hardware said no speeds or capacities have been announced. Gulf News said the claim "remains unsubstantiated."

The claim shook investors. SK Hynix shares fell 10% and Samsung lost 7.4% on Tuesday, Gulf News reported. US chipmaker Micron had already closed 4% lower the day before.

If the claim holds, CXMT would reach this step before its Korean rivals, despite US limits on the tools it can buy, Gulf News said. Samsung is not expected to make such chips until 2028, the outlet reported.

CXMT has been growing fast. Its share of global DRAM memory revenue reached 9.5% in the second quarter, up from 7.6% in the first, Tom's Hardware reported, citing the research firm TrendForce.

What we know: CXMT says a denser 4F² server memory chip will launch by year's end, and Korean chip stocks fell on the news.
What we don't: How fast the chips will be, how many CXMT can make, and whether the claim holds up.