Rising Prices in the DRAM Market Due to Shift Towards Next-Generation Memory

Increasing Demand for Advanced Memory Solutions

The surge in next-generation memory solutions like HBM and DDR5 is being propelled by the expanding applications of artificial intelligence. Consequently, manufacturers are reallocating resources to focus on more lucrative and cutting-edge technologies. Market research firm TrendForce has recently unveiled a report highlighting changes in the enterprise SSD market.

Projected Increase in DDR4 Prices

According to TrendForce’s latest insights, there is an anticipated significant price increase in the DRAM market, particularly affecting older generation solutions. As manufacturers concentrate on next-gen memory technologies, there is a growing supply constraint for products like DDR4, LPDDR4X, and GDDR6. The report predicts that contract prices across the DRAM spectrum will rise between 10% and 15%. Notably, consumer-grade DDR4 modules are projected to exceed this average.

In the PC segment, a dramatic 40% to 45% price surge in DDR4 is expected due to limited order volumes. The supply is further restricted as manufacturers divert DDR4 production capabilities to the server segment. Although DDR5 is gaining traction in servers, numerous data centers still rely on DDR4 systems. As a result, the full cessation of DDR4 production has been delayed, contributing to an expected 3% to 8% price increase during the transition phase.

Mobile and GPU Memory Market Changes

On the mobile front, the availability of LPDDR4X is decreasing. With Samsung and other manufacturers shifting focus to LPDDR5X, and existing platforms showing limited adaptability to next-gen memory, a wave of panic buying has ensued. This situation is likely to cause LPDDR4X prices to surge by 23% to 28%. Prices for LPDDR5X are also anticipated to rise by 5% to 10%.

In the GPU memory sector, the shortage of GDDR6 is becoming increasingly apparent. While NVIDIA and other companies are transitioning to GDDR7, entry-level and mid-range GPUs still require GDDR6, potentially leading to one of the most significant price hikes for GDDR6 in the upcoming quarter.