News
PC DRAM contract prices surge amid supply constraints and Micron client prioritization
Monday, December 22, 2025 at 03:29 AM
PC DRAM contract prices surged 38–43% in Q4 2024, with suppliers proposing further 50–60% increases for Q1 2025. Major manufacturers are prioritizing Server DRAM and strategic key accounts, leading to supply cuts for some customers. Micron, facing significant cleanroom space constraints, is reportedly suspending supply to certain long-term agreement clients and being most aggressive in client selection. This supply tightness is pushing PC OEMs to rely on module houses and consider reducing DRAM capacity per device to manage bill-of-materials costs.
Context
PC DRAM contract prices are skyrocketing, with 4Q25 figures jumping 38–43% and 1Q26 projected to surge an additional 50–60%. This aggressive pricing power stems from tightening supply as manufacturers shift production toward high-margin server DRAM. Micron is leading this trend, aggressively cutting supply to certain long-term agreement clients due to severe cleanroom space constraints. This has forced many PC OEMs to rely on third-party module houses at higher premiums, driving DRAM’s share of total bill-of-materials costs from 5–10% in 2025 to a projected 15–20% in 2026.
As supply growth stagnates, Micron and other suppliers are prioritizing strategic accounts with long-term visibility, leaving secondary manufacturers facing inventory shortages and procurement polarization. To mitigate these costs, PC OEMs are signaling laptop price hikes for the first half of 2026 and downgrading memory capacities on new models. With 1Q26 negotiations settling rapidly based on aggressive supplier quotes, pricing power rests firmly with producers, a shift that may eventually dampen consumer demand as costs are passed down to the end market.
Related Companies
Dell Technologies
DELL
2
Acer
2353
2
MSI
2377
H
HP Inc.
HPQ
2
ASUS
2357
Lenovo
992
Gigabyte
2376