DRAM, NAND Prices Hit Record Highs in August, but Uptrend Slows Amid Peak-Level Pressures

According to DRAMeXchange
PC DRAM Contract Prices Expected to Rise 18-23% in Q3

Driven by the surge in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure development, the average monthly fixed transaction prices for key memory semiconductors, DRAM and NAND flash, have once again reached all-time highs. However, the actual pace of price increases slowed compared to the previous month.

According to DRAMeXchange, a market research firm, the average fixed transaction price for generic personal computer (PC) DRAM products (DDR4 8Gb 1Gx8) in August was $25, up 4.2% from the previous month. This represents an increase of more than eightfold compared to June 2016, when the price was $2.9 at the start of their tracking. DRAM prices had previously posted double-digit monthly gains for eleven consecutive months since April of last year, but the growth rate dropped to single digits last month.

Its parent company, TrendForce, has raised its forecast for quarter-on-quarter growth in contract prices for PC DRAM in the third quarter of this year to a range of 18-23%, up from the previous projection of 15-20%. TrendForce explained, "Most DRAM suppliers and PC original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) had completed negotiations for third quarter 2026 contract prices as of August," adding, "The scale of the increase is milder than the surge of 45-50% recorded in the second quarter."

For NAND flash products (128Gb 16Gx8 MLC) used in memory cards and USB drives, the average fixed transaction price in August was $30.5, up 1.4% from the previous month. Prices have continued to climb for 20 consecutive months, but the increase has nearly leveled off as customer cost burdens have risen. The price growth rate for single-level cell (SLC) products also eased from 34-51% in July to a range of 16-28% in August.

TrendForce noted, "SLC prices are expected to continue rising after the third quarter, though the pace of increase may gradually slow," and added, "For MLC, high costs are reducing final margins and buyers' aggressive purchasing sentiment is fading, so the price uptrend is expected to weaken further going forward."

Ahead of the new semester, demand for PCs is sharply declining due to the soaring prices of key PC components such as DRAM. The photo shows the Senior Shopping Center, a specialized assembled PC market in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 22nd. 2026.01.22 Photo by Dongjoo Yoon

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.