Overview
- Market data show steep quarter-to-quarter jumps in Q1–Q2 2026, including near‑90% gains for some LPDDR5X modules and 40–100% increases across multiple DRAM and NAND items.
- Research firms Jefferies and Counterpoint project elevated average prices across 2026 and 2027 and caution that the next meaningful easing may not arrive until 2028.
- AI model training and inference have shifted demand toward server memory and high‑bandwidth products, boosting server memory’s market share and tightening supply for consumer parts.
- Device makers and analysts report higher consumer prices now, with Omdia forecasting a record global smartphone average selling price and OEMs such as ASUS and Lenovo noting higher PC pricing.
- Suppliers are expanding capacity and buyers are signing long contracts or redesigning systems, but those new fabs could trigger a sharp, supply‑led price correction when they begin shipping in 2027H2.