DRAM And NAND Prices Fall

[SteelCrysis]

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/ssd-pr...of-3d-nand

As leading makers increase their 3D NAND bit output, prices of flash memory drop due to oversupply. This leads to sinking prices for solid-state drives as other types of NAND-based storage devices. Analysts from TrendForce predict that next quarter prices of client and server SSDs will drop by another 10% to 15% compared to Q4 2020.
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Traditionally, PC makers decrease production of computers in the first quarter due to a seasonal downturn. As a result, demand for components, such as memory and SSDs, drops and their prices drop too. But there are two other factors that will drive them down in the first quarter of next year, according to TrendForce.

Firstly, PC makers have plenty of SSDs in their stocks already. Secondly, 3D NAND suppliers are actively sending samples of their 1xx-layer 3D NAND to SSD makers thus energetically supporting launch of new drives.

Demand for computers is high and PC makers have backorders to supply, so their current inventories will likely be consumed to satisfy current demand. Nonetheless, new drives based on 1xx-layer 3D NAND will still be cheaper on per-bit basis than existing SSDs. In any case, TrendForce predicts that client SSD prices will drop by 10% to 15% in Q1 2021.
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Many types of 3D NAND based products, including SSDs, flash drives, and memory cards, are in a state of oversupply, according to TrendForce. However, since it is difficult to get components, which are made by foundries, 3D NAND flash suppliers are diverting their production to wafer market.

According to the report, Samsung, the company that has historically focused on actual products and not on selling raw NAND, has begun shipping its 92-layer 3D NAND wafers to module houses. Western Digital, another company that tends to use its 3D NAND internally, has also started sampling of its 112-layer 3D NAND with select customers. Meanwhile, Kioxia continues to supply its 96-layer 3D NAND to clients, whereas SK Hynix is sampling its 128-layer memory.

Aggressive selling of high-density 3D NAND wafers to third-party SSD makers creates bit oversupply on the wafer market, which will cause a 15% quarter-over-quarter price drop in Q1 2021, the analysts predict.