Samsung sharply raises memory prices by 20%! UBS revises up quotes: DRAM Q3 quarter-on-quarter increase 32%, NAND up 30%!

South Korean media reports that Samsung Electronics is in Q3 price negotiations with customers, aiming to raise the average selling price (ASP) of general-purpose DRAM by up to 20%, and LPDDR, due to a "severe bottleneck" in supply and demand, is expected to see an increase of over 20%. Meanwhile, UBS's latest report has raised DRAM and NAND price forecasts, predicting DRAM will increase by 32% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 and NAND by 30% in the same quarter. In contrast, SK hynix's pricing trend is relatively stable.
(Previous context: Samsung reportedly plans another 20% DRAM price hike in Q3! Three increases in one year, AI crowding out capacity hits smartphones and PCs)
(Background supplement: Samsung announces HBM yield exceeds 70%! CTO Song Jae-hyuk claims next-gen DRAM will overtake, aggressively chasing SK hynix)

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• Samsung's tough stance on Q3 price hikes, LPDDR faces severe bottleneck
• SK hynix remains stable: HBM long-term contracts protect, pricing fluctuations small
• High proportion of general-purpose DRAM, Samsung's price surge more aggressive
• UBS raises DRAM and NAND price forecasts
• AI memory supply-demand structure: price increase trend may continue until 2027

South Korean media outlet "ZDNET Korea" cited industry sources reporting that South Korean memory giant Samsung Electronics is in Q3 price negotiations with customers, aiming to raise the average selling price (ASP) of general-purpose DRAM by up to 20% compared to the previous quarter. Prior to this, Samsung's Q1 and Q2 DRAM ASP quarter-on-quarter increases had already reached as high as 90% and 50-60% respectively, with three consecutive quarters of price hikes reflecting the structural imbalance caused by AI crowding out traditional memory capacity.

Samsung's tough stance on Q3 price hikes, LPDDR faces severe bottleneck

Semiconductor industry insiders revealed that Samsung Electronics has shown an extremely tough attitude in Q3 price negotiations. For LPDDR (Low Power Double Data Rate Memory), which has recently experienced "severe bottlenecks" in both server and mobile segments, Samsung is also preparing to increase prices by more than 20%. However, it remains uncertain whether customers will fully accept this—terminal manufacturers may use reduced order volumes or switching to other suppliers as bargaining chips.

SK hynix remains stable: HBM long-term contracts protect, pricing fluctuations small

Notably, competitor SK hynix's pricing trend is currently relatively stable. Part of the reason is the company's greater reliance on High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) required by AI, which is primarily under long-term contracts (LTAs), locking in prices that are less susceptible to short-term market fluctuations. Meanwhile, SK hynix is about to list in the U.S., and the market expects its capital expansion capabilities will further widen the gap with Samsung in the HBM field.

High proportion of general-purpose DRAM, Samsung's price surge more aggressive

Industry assessments suggest that Samsung Electronics' DRAM ASP increase is more pronounced than SK hynix's, mainly because general-purpose DRAM, which has greater price volatility, accounts for a higher proportion of Samsung's total output, and Samsung has been the most aggressive in raising prices. Industry insiders analyze that Samsung still holds the largest global market share in general-purpose DRAM, giving it greater dominance in pricing negotiations.

UBS raises DRAM and NAND price forecasts

Swiss bank UBS has also recently raised its price forecasts for DRAM and NAND flash memory. The securities firm predicts that DRAM prices will increase by 32% and 18% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 and Q4, respectively; NAND prices are expected to rise by 30% and 12% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 and Q4, respectively. These forecasts are well above the market consensus, indicating Wall Street maintains high optimism about the AI-driven memory super cycle.

AI memory supply-demand structure: price increase trend may continue until 2027

The industry generally believes that the fundamental driver of this memory price surge is AI. The three major memory manufacturers (Samsung, SK hynix, Micron) have shifted approximately 93% of their capacity to HBM production, significantly crowding out traditional DRAM supply. Moreover, producing 1 bit of HBM requires about three times more wafer capacity than DDR5, and new capacity will not be available at scale until at least 2027. Under the dual pressure of supply tightening and sustained demand expansion, memory prices still have upward potential in the medium to long term.