Counterpoint: Q3 2026 DRAM revenue nears $200B, up 369% on AI demand
Bit shipment volume grew only about 4% in the same quarter, with price driving the revenue surge as AI demand pushed memory prices to record highs.
Global DRAM revenue in the third quarter of 2026 neared 200 billion dollars, up 369 percent year over year, as AI demand pushed prices to record highs, according to Counterpoint Research. The figures were reported by digitaltoday.co.kr.
Bit shipment volume grew only about 4 percent in the same quarter, with price driving revenue growth rather than increased unit sales. HBM revenue nearly doubled in Q3 2026, but its share of total DRAM revenue declined as general DDR and LPDDR revenue grew faster.
The price surge is hitting consumer devices. Global smartphone shipments fell 20 percent year over year in Q3 2026, the weakest third quarter since 2012, while retail smartphone prices rose about 20 percent this year. PC shipments dropped from 78.5 million units a year earlier to 62.7 million units.
TrendForce estimated that CPU, RAM and SSD account for 68 percent of the cost of a 900-dollar laptop. The research firm forecast that DRAM price increases could steepen in the first quarter of 2027, and Micron expects supply and demand to be tighter in 2027 and 2028 than in 2026.
Team Group CEO Jerry Chen warned that prices will not fall in 2027 and that severe shortages could leave buyers unable to purchase even with money. Micron estimates that through 26 multi-year contracts, over 35 percent of its revenue will be secured by customer commitments through 2030.
Quick answers
How much did global DRAM revenue grow in Q3 2026?
Global DRAM revenue neared 200 billion dollars in Q3 2026, up 369 percent year over year, according to Counterpoint Research.
Why did DRAM revenue rise so much if bit shipments grew only 4 percent?
Revenue growth was driven by price increases, not by higher shipment volumes, as AI demand pushed memory prices to record highs.
What do analysts expect for DRAM prices in 2027?
TrendForce forecast that DRAM price increases could steepen in Q1 2027, and Team Group CEO Jerry Chen warned prices will not fall in 2027.