Experts warn that the AI fever is making the supply of memory chips for electronic devices record scarce, pushing DRAM and NAND Flash prices to new milestones. - VnExpress
Source of collection: https://vnexpress.net/gia-dram-du-bao-tang-63-trong-quy-ii-2026-5057878.html
According to a newly published report by market research company TrendForce, traditional DRAM memory chip contract prices are expected to increase by 58-63% in the second quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, the price of NAND Flash memory, the main component of SSD hard drives, may even jump 70-75% compared to the previous quarter.
This increase continues the volatile first quarter of 2026 and shows no signs of ending. In the first three months of the year, DRAM contract prices recorded a record increase of 90% compared to the same period last year. DRAM growth is now slowing slightly, while NAND Flash is outpacing last quarter's 60% increase.
The reason for the above situation is that memory chip suppliers are prioritizing production capacity for AI customers. Currently, the majority of NAND Flash production is focused on SSD hard drives for businesses. Large cloud service providers are also "clearing up supply" through long-term agreements, leaving the consumer electronics market in a state of severe scarcity.
Individual users are the most affected group. Memory chip manufacturers actively reduce the amount of goods they export to computer assembly companies to prioritize the server segment, which brings higher profits. This forces computer companies to buy components at more expensive prices through intermediaries, indirectly raising the price of products when they reach consumers.
For the low-cost phone and computer market, the eMMC/UFS memory segment faces the biggest shortage. Due to lower profits compared to enterprise SSDs, this line of memory chips is ranked by the supplier as the lowest priority in the production line.
TrendForce predicts that the shortage will last for several years because new production facilities are expected to be operational at high capacity by the end of 2027 or 2028.
To cope with escalating component costs, many computer and smartphone manufacturers are considering reducing storage capacity on new products to keep prices stable. Experts warn that if the rising momentum is not controlled, it could cause negative consequences for the entire development cycle of the technology industry in the near future.
Huy Duc (According to Tom's Hardware)