Weekly brief · Week of Oct 5, 2026
DDR5 spot extends gains but momentum cools as modules trail
Updated Oct 12, 2026 00:00 UTC
DDR5 spot pricing continued higher this week, with the weekly average at $58.40, up 0.9% w/w and 7.5% over four weeks, while the latest daily print reached $58.90 on 2026-10-09. The move keeps DDR5 at the top of its 36-week range, but the pace of gains has slowed from the prior week and the market remains in a Transition regime for a third straight week with medium confidence. DDR4 spot was effectively flat at $48.87, up 0.2% w/w but still down 5.7% over four weeks, while GDDR6 edged up 0.2% w/w to $12.29. Module pricing continues to lag chip spot and no contract reset has been confirmed, with the latest contract data now 11 days old.
Key numbers
| Series | Weekly avg | Week | 4 weeks | 12 weeks | vs high | 12-week trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDR5 | $58.40 | +0.9% | +7.5% | +19.5% | 0.0% | |
| DDR4 | $48.87 | +0.2% | -5.7% | +7.8% | -6.3% | |
| GDDR6 | $12.29 | +0.2% | +4.3% | +6.1% | -3.9% | |
| DDR5 Module | $239 | +0.1% | +3.9% | +14.4% | -4.4% |
Scorecard
| Regime | Transition: signals are mixed and do not point to a clear cycle phase |
| Confidence | Medium |
| Spot momentum | Spot gains are slowing |
| Module pass-through | Module prices are lagging chip spot |
| Contract reset | No contract reset has been seen |
How spot, module and contract compare
The gap between DDR5 and DDR4 pricing continues to widen. DDR5 chips are trading at 1.20x DDR4 pricing versus 1.05x four weeks ago, reflecting sustained strength in DDR5 while DDR4 softens. Pass-through into modules remains incomplete: DDR5 Module pricing is up 3.9% over four weeks against a 7.5% rise in DDR5 chip spot, equivalent to 52% pass-through and below the 65% level needed to signal tighter alignment. Contract pricing still trails spot activity, with the latest available contract print dated 2026-09-30 showing DDR5 8GB SO-DIMM unchanged at $133 while DDR4 SO-DIMM contracts rose 1.9% to 4.2%.
| Contract item | Price | Change | Print date |
|---|---|---|---|
| DDR5 8GB SO-DIMM | $133 | 0.0% | Sep 30 |
| DDR4 16GB SO-DIMM | $275 | +1.9% | Sep 30 |
| DDR4 8GB SO-DIMM | $148 | +4.2% | Sep 30 |
What changed
- DDR5 spot averaged $58.40, up 0.9% w/w and 7.5% over four weeks; latest print was $58.90 on 2026-10-09.
- DDR4 spot averaged $48.87, up 0.2% w/w but down 5.7% over four weeks.
- GDDR6 spot held at $12.29, up 0.2% w/w and 4.3% over four weeks.
- DDR5 Module pricing averaged $239.0, up 0.1% w/w and 3.9% over four weeks.
- The market stayed in Transition regime for a third straight week with medium confidence as spot gains slowed and module pricing lagged chip moves.
- Latest contract data is 11 days old; the biggest recent contract move was DDR4 8GB SO-DIMM at $148, up 4.2% from $142.
Regime call
Transition (medium confidence), 3rd week in this regime
What to watch next
- A confirmed contract reset requires a tracked SO-DIMM contract move of 10.0% or more; the latest print peaked at 4.2%.
- Module pass-through would strengthen if DDR5 Module pricing closes more of the gap with DDR5 chip spot, above the current 52% four-week pass-through rate.
- DDR5 momentum remains intact while weekly pricing holds above the prior week's $57.89 level.
- Watch whether DDR5 maintains trade near the current four-week high range of $58.40 to $58.90 while DDR4 remains near $48.78 to $50.26.