The monthly average prices of memory semiconductors DRAM and NAND flash rose.
According to market research firm DRAMeXchange on the 30th, the average contract price for standard PC DRAM (DDR4 8Gb 1Gx8) in Jan. was $11.50, up 23.66% from the previous month's $9.30.
As artificial intelligence (AI) spreads, supply has concentrated on high-value server DRAM, leaving supply of DDR4, an older PC standard, unable to keep up with demand. Market research firm TrendForce said, "The DDR4 8GB module averaged $85, up 115–120%," noting that the DRAM market has entered a very strong upcycle.
PC DRAM contract prices in the first quarter are expected to surge 105–110% from the previous quarter. TrendForce analyzed, "In the first half of this year, the DRAM market is solidifying a supplier-led price-setting structure amid supply constraints relative to demand," adding, "There is a very high likelihood that the high-price trend will continue without short-term price corrections."
The January average contract price for standard NAND flash for memory cards and USBs (128Gb 16Gx8 MLC) was $9.46, up 64.83% from $5.74 the previous month. It has risen for 13 consecutive months. NAND is also seen as continuing to be affected by reduced supply of mature-process (legacy) products.
TrendForce assessed, "As suppliers prioritized production capacity for 3D NAND and high-capacity products, wafer input for mature-process products such as SLC and MLC decreased, limiting market-available volumes, while demand for special uses such as industrial, automotive, and telecom remained solid, widening the price increase in Jan."