DDR4 Prices Up 67%, Now 44% Higher Than DDR5

As major semiconductor manufacturers phase out DDR4 memory production, the market is witnessing a sharp increase in DDR4 demand and pricing. Recent market data reveals that DDR4 prices have continued to climb this week, widening the gap between DDR4 and DDR5 memory prices.

Among 16Gb memory modules, the price difference between DDR4 16Gb (1Gx16) and DDR5 16Gb (2Gx8) has now doubled. Industry experts note that DDR4 remains essential for legacy processor platforms, particularly in industrial control systems. Due to the extensive design verification required for such systems, reengineering motherboards to support newer memory types is often impractical and costly. As a result, manufacturers using DDR4 are rushing to secure supply, driving prices higher.

According to TrendForce, DDR4 16Gb (2Gx8) was priced at $5.171 on June 2, about 8% cheaper than DDR5 at the time. However, the latest figures show DDR4 has surged to $8.633 — a 67% increase in under a month — now 44% higher than DDR5. In a comparison of different configurations, DDR4 16Gb (1Gx16) is currently priced at $12, nearly double that of DDR5 16Gb (2Gx8) at $6.014.

This pricing trend is expected to positively impact Samsung's memory business in Q2 2025. While DDR4 is not part of Samsung's leading-edge DRAM portfolio, increasing demand may help accelerate inventory clearance. 

Analysts at IBK Securities suggest DDR4 will see the largest price hike during this period, positioning Samsung as a major beneficiary in terms of sales volume, pricing, and margins. Nonetheless, the company's HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) order volume has fallen short of earlier expectations, potentially keeping Samsung's overall Q2 memory profit in line with previous forecasts.