Memory shortage reaches DDR2 as prices and demand continue to rise in Q3

We have all heard about the current RAM memory crisisthe same one that has delayed product launches and made other products more expensive, mainly related to memory chips. At the end of last year, a 2026 difficult and with price increases, but we still did not imagine that this crisis would also affect older memories such as the DDR3 and even the DDR2. This is how he tells us TrendForce in their latest study, where they also warn us that prices will continue to rise.

The memory crisis already reaches DDR3 and DDR2

The tendency to be able to solve, or at least momentarily avoid, this memory crisisinvolves adopting products that use older or less advanced types of memory. This trend has also caused the oldest memory, such as the DDR3 and even the DDR2 are also suffering supply shortage for manufacturers who have decided to take this stance.

Memory prices will continue to rise in the coming months

But the thing does not stop here, the memory manufacturers are experiencing record income during this first half of the year, which will cause prices to continue rising during this third quarter which will start in a few days. Memory contract prices DDR2 will increase this quarter between 55 and 60%and they will do it in the next quarter another 35 or 40% more.

Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix prioritize HBM and DRAM for servers

The main memory manufacturers such as Micron, Samsung and SK Hynixcontinue to dedicate their main productions to advanced memory HBM either DRAM for servers. This has also reduced the memory capacity DDR4 which has been attributed to other smaller manufacturers in Taiwan.

Some lesser known companies like Nanya and winbond They have found a vein in this type of oldest memory. As the rest of the manufacturers have done, these lesser-known manufacturers have also redirected their production towards the products that provide the highest margin.

OEM manufacturers return to DDR3 and even DDR2 to ensure supply

Equipment manufacturers OEM have also made adjustments, where some products with memory DDR4 have been modified and include memory DDR3. Also those who had memory DDR3 They are reducing their specifications to even make use of memory DDR2.

With this, the manufacturers of this type of equipment also want to ensure a more stable supply of memory within the prices, which is causing the demand for this memory from previous generations to rise and also to be included in this endless memory crisis.

Winbond will reduce DDR2 and ESMT will take over

Some memory manufacturers DDR2 as winbond They will gradually abandon the production of this older generation, to focus on other memories that provide more benefit and are in higher demand. It seems that ESMT will take over this production of DDR2 to keep the majority of the orders, dedicating its production to this oldest memory, but ensuring that it is one of the few that produces it.