Issue No. 1
Welcome to the inaugural edition of DRAM Pulse — the secondary DRAM market’s first dedicated aftermarket intelligence report. While spot-price trackers and new-channel quotes are widely available, no publication has systematically tracked what used DRAM actually clears for in the aftermarket. DRAM Pulse fills that gap, built on The DRAM Resource Pricing Survey: a proprietary dataset derived from verified peer-to-peer aftermarket sold transactions, 30-day lookback.
Q2 2026
- Conventional DRAM contract prices are projected to rise 58–63% QoQ in Q2 2026, as suppliers reallocate capacity toward HBM and server applications (TrendForce, March 2026).
- Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron continue shifting fab capacity away from legacy DDR4 nodes — a structural supply constraint that tightens secondary market availability for enterprise ITAD lots.
- DDR5 ECC modules are entering an early-premium phase as hyperscaler DDR5 adoption accelerates and new-channel supply remains constrained.
- DDR4 remains the high-volume ITAD channel core tier. Recovery values are rising — not softening — despite DDR4’s generational maturity.
Recovery value, retirement to end-buyer
The Three-Stage Pricing Cascade maps recovery value from enterprise retirement through to the public end-buyer. Stage 1 (Used Wholesale) assumes bulk lots of 25+ modules. Stage 2 (Private Aftermarket) reflects the broker/reseller channel. Stage 3 (Public Used) reflects single-module end-buyer pricing. All values from The DRAM Resource Pricing Survey.
| DRAM Segment | Stage 1 — Used Wholesale | Stage 2 — Private Aftermarket | Stage 3 — Public Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| DDR4 8GB | 🔒 Subscribers Only | $5.50–$7.00 | $8–$11 |
| DDR4 16GB | 🔒 Subscribers Only | $10–$13 | $15–$20 |
| DDR4 32GB | 🔒 Subscribers Only | $20–$26 | $30–$40 |
| DDR5 16GB | 🔒 Subscribers Only | $14–$18 | $20–$28 |
| DDR5 32GB | 🔒 Subscribers Only | $28–$36 | $40–$54 |
| DDR4 ECC 32GB | 🔒 Subscribers Only | $34–$44 | $50–$64 |
| DDR4 ECC 64GB | 🔒 Subscribers Only | $68–$86 | $95–$120 |
| DDR5 ECC 64GB | 🔒 Subscribers Only | $125–$160 | $175–$220 |
Note: Lot-size assumptions are mandatory — pricing without a lot context is not actionable for ITAD professionals. Stage 3 reflects a 15–40% premium to the aftermarket median for single-unit retail buyers.
Issue 1 scores
The DDI is The DRAM Resource’s composite health score (0–100) for each tracked segment. Four factors drive the composite: Price Momentum (40%), Demand Level (30%), Supply Cycle Position (20%), Liquidity (10%). Tiers: 80–100 → Strong / 60–79 → Healthy / 40–59 → Cautionary / <40 → Distressed.
DDI Highlights: DDR5 ECC RDIMM 64GB (83 — Strong) is the standout segment this issue as AI-driven server deployments accelerate hyperscaler DDR5 adoption and constrain new-channel supply. DDR4 ECC 64GB (79 — Healthy) benefits from robust enterprise refresh demand. Consumer DDR5 segments (55–58 — Cautionary) face a near-term headwind as retail PC demand softens under elevated price levels — but ITAD lot values are supported by thin supply, not demand strength.