Memory chip prices will keep rising in the fourth quarter of 2026, according to research firm TrendForce.

Conventional DRAM contract prices are expected to rise 10 to 15 percent quarter over quarter. NAND flash contract prices are projected to increase 15 to 20 percent.

Including high-bandwidth memory, the broader DRAM increase is estimated at 15 to 20 percent. Enterprise SSDs could see prices jump 23 to 28 percent.

Cloud providers are driving the pressure. They are expanding AI infrastructure and absorbing production capacity that would otherwise go to PCs and smartphones.

DRAM suppliers keep prioritizing advanced-process capacity for high-performance server products. The market stays undersupplied overall.

For consumers, the squeeze is real. PC and smartphone makers face higher component costs, and TrendForce expects PC DRAM supply to decline further in 2027 as more capacity shifts to servers.

Micron has already sold most of its 2027 high-bandwidth memory supply at higher prices. Building new chip factories takes years, so supply cannot respond quickly.

TrendForce now expects larger DRAM increases than it did before, led by AI-driven cloud demand.