According to the latest TrendForce memory pricing survey, DRAM supplies are still "reallocating capacity toward HBM (high bandwidth memory) and server applications" in Q2 of 2026.
TrendForce projects that the contract prices for DRAM specifically will rise by 58-63% when compared to the previous quarter. And we already know just how bad that previous quarter has been. If you don't, then TrendForce was kind enough to remind us that Q1 2026 saw DRAM prices go up by 93-98% in Q4 2025.
RAM is used as the main memory component in things such as system memory (RAM) for desktops, laptops, and servers. It's used for system memory in devices such as gaming consoles and graphics cards.
Meanwhile, the contract price of NAND Flash memory is expected to increase by 70-75% when compared to the previous quarter. In Q1 2026, those prices had already gone up 85-90% compared to Q4 2025. NAND Flash is used for storage in things like smartphones and tablets. NAND Flash is also used on SSDs, flash drives, digital cameras, gaming consoles, and more.
North American CSPs (cloud service providers) are accelerating AI inference deployments, which in turn is driving demand for AI and general-purpose servers. High-capacity RDIMMs have become the primary procurement target. On the supply side, suppliers continue prioritizing server DRAM due to its superior profitability and are negotiating long-term agreements (LTAs) with key customers to support future capacity expansion. However, it is noted that near-term supply remains tight.
In the smartphone segment, brands continue to face mounting pressure from rising memory costs and may adjust production plans starting from 2Q26. However, demand for mobile DRAM is not expected to contract significantly in the first half of the year. As suppliers finalize 2Q pricing with key customers and establish a baseline for price increases—while also seeking to narrow price gaps across applications through catch-up pricing—mobile DRAM contract prices are expected to continue rising from the previous quarter.
For graphics DRAM, rising memory costs are weighing on demand for notebooks and gaming devices, while limited capacity allocation to GDDR continues to constrain supply. Prices are therefore expected to increase further in 2Q26.
As for consumer DRAM, customers are primarily focused on low-cost, high-volume products with thin margins. The ongoing price increases since early 2025 have pushed memory costs above selling prices for some products, leading to a slight slowdown in procurement demand. However, the gradual withdrawal of major suppliers from the consumer DRAM segment remains the key driver of market imbalance, and supply shortages have yet to ease.
In the smartphone segment, brands continue to face mounting pressure from rising memory costs and may adjust production plans starting from 2Q26. However, demand for mobile DRAM is not expected to contract significantly in the first half of the year. As suppliers finalize 2Q pricing with key customers and establish a baseline for price increases—while also seeking to narrow price gaps across applications through catch-up pricing—mobile DRAM contract prices are expected to continue rising from the previous quarter.
For graphics DRAM, rising memory costs are weighing on demand for notebooks and gaming devices, while limited capacity allocation to GDDR continues to constrain supply. Prices are therefore expected to increase further in 2Q26.
As for consumer DRAM, customers are primarily focused on low-cost, high-volume products with thin margins. The ongoing price increases since early 2025 have pushed memory costs above selling prices for some products, leading to a slight slowdown in procurement demand. However, the gradual withdrawal of major suppliers from the consumer DRAM segment remains the key driver of market imbalance, and supply shortages have yet to ease.
