According to TrendForce, we technology enthusiasts will have other rising prices to contend with throughout 2021, adding to the already ballooning discrete GPU and latest-gen CPUs from the leading manufacturer. The increased demand due to the COVID pandemic stretched the usual stocks to their limits, and due to the tremendous, multiple-month lead times between semiconductor orders and their fulfillment from manufacturers, the entire supply infrastructure was spread too thin for the increased worldwide needs. This leads to increased component pricing, which in turn leads to higher ASP pricing for DRAM. Adding to that equation, of course, is the fact that companies are now more careful, and are placing bigger orders so as to be able to weather these sudden demand changes.

TrendForce says that DRAM pricing has already increased 3-8% in 1Q2021, and that market adjustments will lead to an additional increase somewhere between 13-18% for contract pricing. Server pricing is projected to increase by 20%; graphics DRAM is expected to increase 10-15% in the same time-span, thus giving us that strange stomach churn that comes from having to expect even further increases in graphics card end-user pricing; and overall DRAM pricing for customers is expected to increase by 20% due to the intensifying shortages. What a time to be a system builder.