The global semiconductor market is experiencing a significant shift as DRAM prices continue their upward trajectory in the fourth quarter of 2025. Driven by an aggressive expansion in server procurement by major hyperscalers, the supply and demand balance has tightened considerably.
According to the latest data from market intelligence firm TrendForce, the pricing forecast for conventional DRAM, excluding High Bandwidth Memory or HBM, has been drastically revised. Originally projected to rise by 8 to 13 percent quarter-over-quarter, the forecast for the October to December 2025 period has now been adjusted to a surge of 18 to 23 percent.
This price hike is not isolated to the server sector. The massive allocation of production capacity towards server DRAM and HBM has created a ripple effect, squeezing the supply available for the consumer electronics market. Consequently, supply for smartphones and personal computers has become tight, leading to noticeable price increases even for older generation products like DDR4.
TrendForce predicts that this bullish pricing trend will persist well into 2026. The first half of the coming year is expected to see continued price growth. While major DRAM suppliers are planning investments to increase production capacity, they are acting with caution. It appears they are avoiding extreme production ramps to maintain the current tight supply dynamics and support profitability.
For tech industry stakeholders and procurement managers, this signals a period of sustained high costs and the need for strategic inventory management as we head into the new year.
