With mobile DRAM inventory restocking largely completed and demand starting to soften, the urgency of procurement negotiations has diminished, and 3Q26 contract price settlements are likely to be pushed back further. On the pricing front, Samsung’s hikes have clearly moderated this quarter, as its previous quotes were already at elevated levels; by contrast, if SK hynix and CXMT aim to close the pricing gap, their increases will appear relatively more pronounced. TrendForce projects that the overall quarterly hike will narrow from last quarter to around 8-13% QoQ.

Looking ahead to 4Q26, under the combined pressure of weak end demand and elevated inventory levels, price increases are expected to further converge. However, the ongoing trend of suppliers shifting capacity toward server and HBM applications will remain intact, providing key support for keeping quarterly contract prices from falling back.

Key Highlights

• 3Q26 smartphone Mobile DRAM price negotiations have entered a tug of war phase, as the atmosphere in 1H26—where brands almost unconditionally accepted supplier quotes—has faded.
• In the near term, inventory remains comfortable, yet brands are still cautious about their LTAs and are striving to fulfill contracted volumes in order to secure priority supply next year.
• Given Samsung’s already elevated base in the previous quarter, its 3Q26 hikes have converged to mid single digit levels. SK hynix and CXMT are expected to push for higher increases to catch up with competitors, bringing overall Mobile DRAM price hikes to around 8–13% QoQ.
• Mobile DRAM used in PCs and consumer devices is seeing price hikes broadly in line with DRAM across other application segments.
• As suppliers continue to tilt capacity toward server and HBM applications, the tightening supply outlook in 2027 will underpin 4Q26 contract prices and prevent a meaningful pullback.

Table of Contents

1. Price Hikes on Mobile DRAM to Subside to 8-13% in 3Q26 as Negotiations Enter Stalemate
2. Buyers Elevated to 12-14 Weeks of Average Inventory; Urgency on Quotations Dropped but LTAs Remain Unchanged in Logic
3. Divergence in Price Hikes; SK hynix and CXMT Portray as Key Players for Catch-Up Hikes
4. Price Hikes Expected to Further Abate in 4Q26; Contract Prices Enter Period of High Consolidation
   • Mobile DRAM Contract Price Update

<Total Pages: 2>