Core Viewpoint - The memory chip market is experiencing a significant price surge, driven primarily by the demand from AI servers, which require substantially more memory than traditional servers. This has led to a supply shortage that is expected to last until at least 2026, with prices projected to continue rising in the near term [6][19][20]. Group 1: Price Surge and Market Dynamics - The price of DDR5 server memory has skyrocketed, with a single 256G DDR5 module costing over 40,000 yuan, leading to a total price of 4-5 million yuan for 100 modules, which is comparable to the price of a residential property in Shanghai [1]. - From the second half of 2025, DDR5 memory prices have increased by over 300%, while DDR4 prices have risen by more than 150% [2]. - The market is characterized by extreme volatility, with prices changing daily, marking one of the most intense periods in the storage industry [3]. Group 2: Supply Shortage and Industry Response - Investment banks like UBS have indicated that the storage industry is entering a severe supply shortage phase, surpassing the historical highs seen in 2018 [4]. - Major manufacturers such as Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron are reallocating production resources towards higher-margin High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), which is consuming a significant portion of general DRAM capacity [6][7]. - AI servers currently account for 53% of global memory production capacity, leading to a drastic reduction in the supply of general memory types like DDR5 and LPDDR5 [9]. Group 3: Manufacturer Strategies and Challenges - Manufacturers are cautious about expanding production due to previous losses during the industry downturn from 2023 to early 2024, with some companies like Micron exiting consumer markets to focus on data centers [10][11]. - Despite DDR5 becoming mainstream, there is still a high demand for DDR4, but major manufacturers have cut back on DDR4 production, leading to price anomalies where DDR4 prices exceed those of DDR5 [11]. Group 4: Impact on Various Industries - The price increases are affecting downstream industries, with PC brands like Lenovo and Dell beginning to raise prices, forcing consumers to either accept higher costs or opt for devices with reduced storage capacity [15][16]. - The automotive industry is particularly impacted, as the demand for memory has surged from a few GB to 256GB or even TB levels due to increased vehicle intelligence [18]. - Companies with strong supply chain management, such as Apple and Huawei, are less affected, while smaller firms with thin profit margins are facing significant challenges [18]. Group 5: Future Outlook - The peak of the supply shortage is expected in the first and second quarters of 2026, with prices likely to maintain a growth rate of over 20% quarter-on-quarter during that period [19]. - The price surge cycle is anticipated to last at least until the end of 2026, with a projected 26% increase in DRAM demand against a 20% increase in supply [19]. - Historical patterns suggest that the price surge will eventually correct once AI infrastructure stabilizes and new production capacity comes online, but this is not expected before 2027 [20].
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量子位·2026-01-23 10:25