DRAM prices to increase by up to 63% in Q2, NAND Flash by up to 75%, new report says

Although DDR5 memory pricing has recently dropped in the U.S. and China, a new report by TrendForce analysts says DRAM contract prices are set to increase in Q2 2026 as "high-capacity RDIMMs have become the primary procurement target" for AI deployment. And with supply still tight even after DRAM production and capacity have been reallocated to HBM and data center-first applications, contract pricing is set to increase by 58-63% compared to Q1 2026.

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It's a notable increase in an industry where memory prices have continued to rise month after month. The report states that, even though DDR5 memory prices have recently trended downward due to lower demand, prices in the PC market will also rise as suppliers reduce shipments, forcing memory makers in the consumer space to procure what they need at higher prices.

And this extends to the GPU market, as GDDR6 and GDDR7 memory for PC gaming graphics cards are only being allocated "limited capacity," which means higher prices and scarcity in the months ahead. The AI arms race won't only affect DRAM pricing in Q2 2026; the report also states that NAND Flash contract prices will increase by up to 75% quarter over quarter, adversely affecting SSD pricing and availability.

"Demand for high-performance SSDs has grown significantly as generative AI enters a phase of large-scale adoption, with enterprise SSD orders showing no signs of slowing," TrendForce writes. "A clear shortage is expected in 2026, with meaningful capacity expansion unlikely until late 2027 or 2028."

One way the consumer-focused market is trying to address the limited supply of client SSDs is by reducing overall storage capacity on devices, with the smartphone market expected to be hit the hardest. The report doesn't offer much beyond its focus on Q2 2026, and even then, it suggests the next three months will see DRAM and NAND Flash pricing take another turn for the worse.