DRAM Prices Surge 171.8% Year-Over-Year Amid AI Demand Strain

DRAM contract prices have skyrocketed by 171.8% year-over-year as of the third quarter of 2025, surpassing the increase rate of gold prices, according to Slashdot. This surge is largely attributed to the mounting demand for DRAM driven by advancements in artificial intelligence technologies.

ADATA chairman Chen Libai has indicated that the fourth quarter of 2025 will herald the start of a significant DRAM bull market, predicting severe shortages to emerge in 2026. Memory manufacturers are pivoting their production to focus on datacenter-oriented memory types such as RDIMM and HBM, which has led to a decline in consumer DDR5 production.

For instance, a Corsair Vengeance RGB dual-channel DDR5 kit that was priced at $91 in July is now available for $183 on Newegg, reflecting this upward pricing trend. Analysts forecast that these price increases may persist for at least four years, aligning with the duration of supply contracts some companies have established with industry giants like Samsung and SK Hynix.

In a related update, s Hardware reports that SK hynix has shared its DRAM development roadmap through 2031 at its AI Summit in 2025. The roadmap outlines the future of DRAM technology, with a clear emphasis on supporting AI servers.

Conventional types such as DDR and LPDDR will continue to meet the memory needs for various applications, while HBM memory will cater to the high bandwidth requirements of AI and high-performance computing processors.

While details remain sparse, SK hynix anticipates that DDR5 will continue to evolve until DDR6 arrives in 2029 or 2030. The company also mentioned that LPDDR6 is expected to integrate high-capacity and low power consumption features by the end of the decade.

Moreover, SK hynix plans to introduce specialized LPDDR6-PIM solutions in 2028, targeting specific applications. The anticipation of such advancements underscores the importance of DRAM in the future landscape of technology, particularly as AI applications continue to grow.

This situation creates a ripple effect, significantly impacting tech companies and investors as they navigate the evolving memory market. As the demand for DRAM persists, the implications for pricing and supply chain dynamics will likely continue to unfold, shaping the tech industry for years to come.