U.S. and China buyers now see just 70% order fulfillment, as AI demand drives DDR5 shortages and PC parts follow suit.
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(Image credit: Getty / Bloomberg) The DRAM supply chain is choking, and server memory is taking the first hit. According to DigiTimes , major U.S. and Chinese hyperscalers are now receiving just 70% of the server DRAM they order. That’s despite agreeing to contract price increases of up to 50% for Q4, well above the 30% hike many buyers had budgeted for earlier this year.
Naturally, AI sits at the core of all this. While it’s HBM that gets the headlines, demand for conventional DDR5 RDIMMs is also outpacing supply, particularly at advanced nodes where Samsung and SK hynix have diverted capacity toward parts bound for AI acceleration. Samsung’s recent pricing adjustments confirm the reprioritization, with the company having raised server SSD prices by up to 35% and RDIMM contract rates by as much as 50%, citing sustained demand from enterprise and cloud customers.
What’s left is a market where even the largest buyers can’t secure enough memory. Spot prices have surged since late September , and several top-tier suppliers are reportedly refusing to quote for October allocations. DDR5 16 GB modules that traded at $7 to $8 last month are now hovering around $13, with availability tightening further into November. Module makers are bracing for out-of-stock situations by the end of the quarter.
DDR4 costs soar as manufacturers pull the plug
Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/storage/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/storage/server-dram-prices-surge-50-percent#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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