Memory price surge begins to cool as consumers hit affordability limit

According to a detailed TrendForce report, while memory prices are expected to continue rising through Q3 2026, the sharp increases seen in recent quarters are beginning to moderate. This cooling tren... Read original →

The memory price surge is cooling not due to supply relief but because consumer affordability has hit a wall. Technically, reallocating DRAM/NAND capacity to server segments intensifies cost pressure on LPDRAM and SSDs in PCs/smartphones, slowing x86 platform refresh cycles; GDDR7 demand remains muted as NVIDIA’s RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell underperforms. Geopolitically, tightening U.S.-EU AI export controls compel Samsung and SK hynix to localize HBM packaging in Taiwan, China, and mainland China—raising redundancy costs. Strategically, NVIDIA locks in Taiwanese OSATs via custom RDIMMs, Samsung leverages HBM4 leadership for Microsoft/NVIDIA deals, while SK hynix bets on CXL-based memory pooling. Over the next 12–24 months, enterprise storage will sustain premium pricing, but without architectural innovations like near-memory computing, consumer device shipments risk prolonged contraction—deepening a ‘high-end shortage, low-end glut’ market bifurcation.