memory prices surge: ddr4 shortage hits pc and electronics makers

2025-08-12 general

taipei, Tuesday, 12 August 2025.
a new trendforce report predicts ongoing ddr4 and lpddr4 memory shortages through the second half of 2025. strong demand from server manufacturers is impacting pc and consumer electronics production. pc manufacturers are accelerating the transition to ddr5 memory. the ddr4 shortage has already caused consumer prices to increase. in july, the price of an 8 gb ddr4 module exceeded the price of an equivalent ddr5 module. prices are expected to continue climbing.

dram price forecasts

TrendForce anticipates substantial increases in contract prices for both DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory in the third quarter of 2025 [1][2]. DDR4 contract prices are projected to rise by 85% to 90% [1][2]. LPDDR4X contract prices are expected to increase by 38% to 43%, marking the largest single-quarter increase in nearly a decade for mobile DRAM [1][2]. These price hikes reflect the constrained supply and strong demand, especially from the server market [1]. Investors should monitor these trends as they directly impact the profitability of companies reliant on these memory components [GPT].

manufacturers respond to shortage

In response to the ddr4 shortage, us and korean memory suppliers are planning to reduce or halt lpddr4x output between 2025 and 2026 [1][2]. this shift in production strategy suggests a move towards newer memory technologies like lpddr5x [1]. lpddr5x is being adopted in mid to high-end smartphones, notebooks and ai servers [2]. this transition could benefit manufacturers who are early adopters of lpddr5x technology. conversely, companies still heavily reliant on lpddr4x may face increased costs and supply constraints [1].

impact on consumer electronics

The rising costs of ddr4 and lpddr4 are poised to affect consumer electronics manufacturers [1]. With consumer ddr4 contract prices already up by 60% to 85% in july, the expected 85% to 90% quarterly increase in q3 2025 will further squeeze profit margins [1][2]. Companies may be forced to pass these costs on to consumers, potentially impacting demand [GPT]. Investors should watch how companies manage these increased costs and adjust their pricing strategies to maintain competitiveness [GPT].

huawei’s ai advancements

Amidst memory supply challenges, huawei is set to unveil a breakthrough in ai inference technology at the 2025 financial ai inference application implementation and development forum [4][5]. this technology aims to reduce china’s dependence on high bandwidth memory (hbm) and improve the inference performance of domestic ai large models [4][5]. if successful, this could lessen the impact of memory shortages on chinese ai development and potentially shift market dynamics [4]. investors should monitor huawei’s progress and its potential to disrupt the hbm market [GPT].

hbm market dynamics

The global hbm market is dominated by sk hynix, samsung electronics, and micron technology, which together hold approximately 95% of the market share [5]. sk hynix leads with a 70% market share in q1 2025, driven by its partnership with nvidia [5]. samsung electronics follows with a 30% to 38% share and plans to double its hbm supply in 2025 [5]. micron technology has seen rapid growth, increasing its market share from 10% in 2023 to 20% in 2025 [5]. investors should closely watch these companies as they compete in the high-growth hbm market [GPT].

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