Prices for memory products, including DRAM, NAND flash, and enterprise solid-state drives (SSDs), are expected to decline across the board in the first quarter of 2025, fueling concerns about a potential “semiconductor freeze” in the industry.
According to market research firm TrendForce, NAND flash prices could drop by 10% to 15% during the quarter. Enterprise SSDs, which experienced a surge in demand last year due to the rise of artificial intelligence applications, are projected to see prices fall by 5% to 10%. DRAM prices, which underwent significant declines in the second half of 2024, are forecast to decrease by 8% to 13%. Even high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a premium DRAM product, is not immune to the trend, with overall DRAM prices expected to dip by as much as 5%.
TrendForce cited several factors driving the synchronized price declines: sluggish global demand for smartphones and PCs, increased supply from Chinese memory manufacturers, and proactive inventory buildup by global PC makers. The stockpiling, analysts say, was spurred by concerns over potential tariff barriers under the incoming Trump administration.
