DDR5 prices surge as DeepSeek disrupts market; DRAM remains steady

As the average monthly price of DRAM remained steady, the price of DDR5 surged due to the emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company. The price of NAND flash memory has shown an upward trend for two consecutive months.

According to market research firm DRAMeXchange on the 28th, the average fixed transaction price of general-purpose DRAM for PCs (DDR4 8Gb 1Gx8) this month was reported at $1.35, the same as last month. DRAM prices have dropped since August last year, with declines of -17.07% in September and -20.59% in November, and have remained unchanged since December.

The average fixed transaction price of NAND flash for memory cards and USBs (128Gb 16Gx8 MLC) rose by 5.29% from the previous month to $2.29. NAND prices declined for four consecutive months starting in September last year, but rebounded in January, showing an upward trend for two consecutive months.

Market research firm TrendForce noted that regarding memory price trends, "Production by major PC manufacturers (OEM) has increased in preparation for the U.S. government's tariff hike," and added, "The shipment volume of devices has been adjusted upward from the fourth quarter of last year to the second quarter of this year, and the DRAM inventory of PC OEMs has also been decreasing rapidly."

It also projected that "Many PC OEMs and DRAM suppliers completed first-quarter module contract negotiations in February, with transaction prices decreasing by 10% to 15%," noting, "Since most first-quarter contracts are complete, there will likely be fewer DRAM transactions in March."

TrendForce predicted that the price of DDR5 surged due to the emergence of DeepSeek, a generative AI company from China, and the market participation of global small- to medium-sized AI model developers is expected to accelerate.