DRAM prices expected to double in Q1 as AI ambitions push memory fabs to their limit

The memory shortage is worse than most of us first thought. Prices on DRAM and NAND flash memory are expected to surge in the first quarter of 2026 as AI-driven hyperscalers and cloud service providers (CSPs) continue to strain supply chains.

In early January, the industry watchers at TrendForce warned the contract prices of DRAM, the kind used in everything from smartphones to servers, could rise by 55-60 percent sequentially during the first quarter of 2026. At the same time, NAND flash, which is used in solid state storage, was expected to rise by 33-38 percent.

TrendForce this week revised its estimates with analysts now predicting DRAM contract pricing will surge by 90–95 percent QoQ, while NAND prices are expected to increase by 55–60 percent during the current quarter.

While AI demand is largely to blame, TrendForce notes that higher-than-expected PC shipments in the fourth quarter of 2025 ...