TECH NEWS – The memory crunch is getting uglier by the quarter, and “unaffordable” is starting to feel like an understatement: Samsung and SK Hynix have begun rolling out upcoming contract DRAM pricing that looks extreme even by recent standards.
Contract DRAM pricing now reflects a market that has shifted decisively into a seller-driven phase. For large-scale customers, price quotes are being revised on a quarterly cadence. For smaller buyers, pricing can move within days, which makes procurement planning close to impossible. Early estimates suggest that the combined increase across this year’s Q1 to Q2 window could reach as high as 130%.
Bigger customers are generally prepared to absorb the hikes because they are already covered by extensive long-term agreements, where updated pricing is reflected when contracts roll over. Small and mid-sized businesses that depend on steady memory supply face a much harsher reality: they buy nowhere near the volumes of NVIDIA or Apple, so they are not getting flexible pricing or meaningful volume leverage. In practical terms, for many SMEs, securing DRAM is becoming borderline impossible without pushing those costs into end-product pricing.
Market observations also point to a sharp run-up since October 2025, with DRAM prices climbing to more than triple prior levels. The main drivers are hyperscaler buildouts and a tightening supply situation that buyers started noticing early. Over the following months, the consumer side took a hit as well, showing up as delayed product launches, thinner inventory, and higher retail prices.
As for when things might cool down, the earliest timeline being floated is mid-2027, and even that looks uncertain. 2028 cannot be ruled out, and further deterioration would effectively translate into higher prices across a wide range of consumer electronics.
