Memory Prices Surge Again in Q4 on AI Server Demand... DRAM Expected to Rise Up to 20%

TrendForce Analysis

Standard DRAM Prices Expected to Rise by 10–15%

NAND Flash Prices Likely to Increase by 15–20%

With the ongoing demand for AI servers, memory semiconductor prices are expected to remain strong in the fourth quarter of this year as well.

According to the latest announcement from market research firm TrendForce on September 30, contract prices for standard DRAM in the fourth quarter are projected to rise by 10–15% compared to the previous quarter, while NAND flash is expected to increase by approximately 15–20%. The price increase for DRAM as a whole, including HBM, is expected to reach 15–20%.

When compared to the third quarter, the upward momentum for standard DRAM (13–18%) and NAND (18–23%) has slightly moderated; however, the overall increase for DRAM when including HBM (8–13%) has expanded.

TrendForce analyzed that DRAM manufacturers continue to allocate advanced process facilities primarily to high-performance server products, resulting in a general supply shortage. Additionally, demand remains strong for server DRAM and enterprise SSDs due to increased AI infrastructure investment.

However, for server DRAM, some manufacturers may experience a smaller price increase than the market average due to long-term agreement (LTA) pricing models. As production is concentrated on server products, the supply of mobile DRAM has also become tight.

TrendForce stated that if this production transition trend persists, the supply of PC DRAM could even decrease in 2027.

In contrast, in the consumer SSD market, PC manufacturers are reducing the SSD capacity of their main products to lower costs, and with sufficient inventories on hand, they are also restricting additional procurement. As a result, NAND suppliers are showing a somewhat more flexible approach in price negotiations, which could limit the magnitude of price increases.

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