Transcend's Chairman Says the Memory Shortage Could Run Into 2028, Here's What That Means for UAE Buyers

If you've been waiting for memory and storage prices to cool off before upgrading, the latest numbers say keep waiting. SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung told an industry forum on July 10, 2026 that the memory chip crunch could run "beyond 2030," calling current DRAM and NAND pricing "abnormally high." Days later, the market backed him up: DDR4 spot prices hit a fresh record of $41.10 per chip in the week of July 21, up from $39.80 the week before and $37.14 at the start of the month.

The Numbers Behind the Shortage

Transcend, one of the largest independent memory module makers and a brand Florence Trading stocks, is feeling the squeeze directly. Chairman Peter Shu has said the company's actual transactions with upstream DRAM and NAND suppliers show no sign of prices weakening, with Q2 DDR5 module prices already up 40-50% from Q1 levels. Industry-wide, module maker executives describe average selling prices climbing as much as fivefold in some segments as AI-driven demand for DRAM and NAND continues to outstrip supply. Shu has separately warned that the supply-demand imbalance is likely to intensify through the rest of 2026, even as everyday consumer demand softens.

Securing Supply Instead of Waiting It Out

Rather than betting on a quick correction, Transcend has spent the year locking down what supply it can. In June, the company confirmed it has secured DDR4 allocation from Samsung through 2027, a hedge against a chip generation that's become harder to source as fabs prioritize newer DDR5 and AI-server memory. That kind of forward planning is exactly why module and SSD prices from established brands tend to hold their value better than commodity alternatives once a shortage cycle takes hold, since manufacturers with locked-in supply aren't forced into the same panic repricing as smaller players scrambling for chips. This pattern is playing out across other manufacturers too, but Transcend's approach stands out because it locks in supply instead of passing every increase straight to shoppers. For UAE buyers comparing Transcend DDR4 and DDR5 modules against portable SSD options, that stability is worth more than a headline discount that might not still be on the shelf next month.

What It Means for UAE Shoppers

For anyone building or upgrading a PC in the UAE, the practical takeaway is simple: the memory and SSD prices you see today are close to the floor for this cycle, not the ceiling. With DDR4 spot prices setting new records and DDR5 module costs up nearly half in a single quarter, delaying a RAM or SSD upgrade at this point is more likely to cost more later than to save money by waiting. Laptops, desktops, and workstations that need a memory or storage bump are best upgraded now, before the next round of price adjustments works its way down to retail shelves.

Florence Trading carries Transcend memory modules and SSDs across capacities for exactly this reason, so UAE shoppers can lock in current pricing before the next leg of the shortage hits. You can browse the full range in the Transcend collection on florencetrading.me.