Storage crisis: Prices expected to rise even more than feared
Prices for DDR5 RAM could double by the end of March. The outlook for SSDs is also bleak.
(Image: heise medien)
In the first quarter of 2026, storage prices could rise more sharply than ever before. This is the conclusion reached by Trendforce, a market observer specializing in storage, based on concluded supply contracts between memory and PC manufacturers, among other factors.
In the case of conventional RAM, Trendforce is revising its forecast upwards: at the beginning of January, the market observer still expected price increases between 55 and 60 percent, now it is 90 to 95 percent. DDR5 and DDR4 RAM for desktop PCs (UDIMMs) and notebooks (SO-DIMMs) are expected to be most affected, with increases of up to 110 percent.
(Image:Â Trendforce)
For servers (DDR5, DDR4) and smartphones (LPDDR5X, LPDDR4X), price increases are expected to be only slightly lower, at 88 to 93 percent. In all cases, these would be record increases within a single quarter.
The supply shortage is now said to be so severe that even the largest PC manufacturers are seeing their inventory levels decline. Despite long-term supply contracts, they are reportedly not receiving as many DRAM modules as they can install in desktop PCs and notebooks.
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NAND flash also affected
Prices for SSDs are expected to rise by up to 60 percent, as demand also exceeds supply here. Memory manufacturers have apparently already switched production lines from NAND flash for SSDs to DRAM for RAM in order to increase profitability.
The reason for the enormous price increases is the high memory demand from AI data centers. Hyperscalers are currently buying everything they can get their hands on. Because they also pay high prices, the market is not self-regulating at the moment; demand is not decreasing despite the price increases.
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