Memory chip prices remain elevated, though the market shows some differentiation, according to storage-industry agents and dealers who spoke with reporters from The Paper. DRAM and SSDs aimed at the enterprise market are still rising, and consumer-grade storage is also increasing, but prices are described as negotiable.
A staff member at a leading memory-chip agency told The Paper that price increases are certain because AI computing centers have large storage demand. Rising consumer prices, however, have made end products hard to sell, so the market is currently in a “prices are negotiable” state. The person said leading original manufacturers such as SK Hynix and Samsung are unwilling to cut prices, given substantial long-term contracts tied to AI demand. Consumer-grade products would not be discounted; if they cannot be sold, they would be used to meet AI demand. The secondary market is changing quickly, and even “operators” may not be able to control prices well.
A dealer confirmed to The Paper that storage prices in the secondary market are still rising. Based on earlier information from major upstream original manufacturers, storage prices are expected to rise further by the end of this year or early next year.
In October, Korean media reported that, as high-bandwidth memory moves from fifth-generation HBM3E to sixth-generation HBM4, Samsung Electronics is planning to raise 2027 supply prices to more than double the current level, an increase of over 100%. Also in October, Taiwanese memory maker Nanya Technology notified customers of another DRAM contract-price increase, with the maximum rise as high as 20%. Asked about market talk of the further increase, Nanya declined to comment on customer quotations.
On October 22, Goke Microelectronics issued a price-adjustment notice to customers and dealers, announcing a new round of increases for packaged KGD (Known Good Die) memory products from November 2026. It is the company’s second price rise this year and the first time it has quoted in absolute U.S. dollar amounts rather than as a percentage.
The agency staff member said consumer-device makers are under heavy pressure from higher storage prices and that many companies have begun using “recycled materials”—second-hand chips removed from used devices. The overall share of recycled material is not high now but could grow. A TrendForce report says reballed memory (disassembled recycled material) is expected to account for 3% to 4% of the smartphone market in 2026 and may rise to 7% to 9% in 2027. Recycled 4GB LPDDR4X chips are mostly used in 4G phones priced below 1,299 yuan. For price-sensitive low-end phones, the approach can ease higher material costs and help makers keep selling prices competitive.
Recycled chips also carry quality risks. The origin, prior use, and refurbishment of old memory can make consistent quality harder to ensure, affecting reliability and lifespan and raising repair and warranty costs. Makers must weigh short-term cost savings against longer-term product quality and after-sales spending.
On PC DRAM supply, TrendForce said that, with steady demand from AI applications, original manufacturers have preliminarily planned to reduce PC DRAM supply in 2027. Related capacity is under relatively little digestion pressure, and manufacturers still need strategic ties with customers for longer-term edge-AI plans, leaving some flexibility to moderate the size of price increases. TrendForce estimates that fourth-quarter 2026 PC DRAM contract prices will rise 13% to 18% from the previous quarter, a smaller increase than in the quarter before.
