- New research shows DRAM prices surged by nearly 90% in Q2 2026.
- DDR4 modules jumped around 50% while LPDDR chips spiked as high as 89%.
- Meanwhile, storage chips like SSDs and UFS saw increases of over 100%.
The memory market has been in an uproar since late 2025 after manufacturers started favoring AI oligarchs over consumers. The prices of DRAM modules and other chips have only gotten worse over the last few months despite rumors of market stabilization.
Some DRAM chip prices have now surged by nearly 90% in Q2 2026. The latest global memory price trends show that consumer DDR4 modules became nearly 50% more costly, while LPDDR chips rose as high as 89%.
Keep in mind, this is a quarter-on-quarter comparison, not a year-over-year one, which makes these price hikes impacting the consumer segment even worse.
Why it matters: Analysts previously warned that shortages could last until 2028 before the industry begins to recover, but the prices and scarcity of these DDR modules and storage chips will get much worse before they get any better.
The research by SigmaIntel highlights that a 16Gb (2GB) DDR module now costs $28.5 a pop instead of $19.2 from last quarter, which is 49% more costly. Meanwhile, a 16GB DDR4 stick will now drain you of $207.1 over last quarter’s $137.3, which is a 51% bump.
The LPDDR segment only gets worse, with 96Gb (12GB) LPDDR5X modules going for $145.9 instead of last quarter’s $77.1, which marks the biggest $89% price increase. The 32Gb (4GB) LPPDR4X ICs were up by 75%, now costing $45.9 instead of $26.2.
In the storage segment, a 512GB NVMe Gen4 SSD now demands a $126.3 price tag over last quarter’s $82.0. This is a concerning 54% increase.
Regardless, 256GB UFS outshines that markup with its staggering 103% price hike, with current costs hovering at $62.7 instead of $31.0.
The 16 GB eMMC 5.1 flash is now 69% more expensive, going for $22.6 instead of $13.4. Meanwhile, uMCP saw a surge of 107%, now selling for $150.4 vs. q1’s $72.5.
These module price hikes will trickle down to consumer PC and smartphone products, which have already become incredibly expensive over H1 2026.
Even Valve’s Steam Machine went up to $1050+ because of the memory apocalypse, with other consoles also suffering the brunt of the impact.
Do you think DRAM prices will continue to worsen before they get any better? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devotedly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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