Memory prices are still climbing in Q3 2026, but the surge is slowing, reports TrendForce. DRAM is forecast to rise 13–18% quarter-on-quarter, while NAND Flash is expected to increase 10–15%. The pace has slowed down, compared to earlier quarters, as consumer markets hit affordability limits.
AI servers and data centers continue to drive demand. Suppliers are focusing on server DRAM and enterprise SSDs, which affect supply. This means PCs and smartphones will still face higher costs.
Meanwhile, retail laptop and smartphone prices are already moving up. We’ve recently seen Apple and POCO announce price changes.
Client SSD inventories remain high, which helps keep consumer storage prices from rising too fast. Graphics DRAM demand is softer than expected, with NVIDIA’s RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell failing to boost GDDR7 sales. Retail storage, like USB drives and memory cards, also remains weak.
TrendForce notes that enterprise SSDs and automotive applications are still seeing steady demand, even as consumer markets cool. This shows how AI workloads and infrastructure spending continue to shape the memory industry, pulling resources toward servers and away from everyday devices.
Also Read: Rising memory costs will drive smartphone prices up, warns Counterpoint
For buyers, the slowdown means prices are still going up, but not as high as before. For the industry, AI workloads will keep memory demand strong, even as everyday consumers pull back. The balance between enterprise growth and consumer affordability will continue to drive memory prices in the coming quarters.
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