Memory price surge begins to cool as consumers hit affordability limit — AI demand still keeps DRAM and NAND prices climbing through Q3 2026
TrendForce says DRAM and NAND prices will continue to rise through Q3 2026, but AI-driven gains are slowing as PC and smartphone makers reach their affordability limits.
The increased demand for AI-specific hardware, particularly DRAM and NAND, has driven prices up significantly, but consumer affordability for general computing devices is now creating a ceiling.
This indicates a divergence in the memory market: continued high demand from AI leading to sustained price increases, while traditional consumer electronics face resistance, potentially impacting their profitability and product cycles.
The market dynamics for memory are bifurcating, creating a two-tiered pricing structure and supply allocation scenario where AI applications continue to command premium pricing and supply priority over conventional consumer devices.
- · DRAM manufacturers
- · NAND manufacturers
- · AI compute infrastructure providers
- · PC manufacturers
- · Smartphone manufacturers
- · mainstream consumers
Memory manufacturers will prioritize higher-margin AI-related production, potentially leading to supply constraints and higher costs for traditional consumer electronics.
Innovation and affordability in consumer PCs and smartphones could stagnate or be delayed as component costs remain high, pushing consumers to hold onto devices longer.
This could accelerate the shift towards subscription-based or cloud-based computing services for mainstream users, reducing the reliance on high-spec, locally-owned devices.
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