The AI memory super-cycle has a shadow story.
While headlines track HBM allocation and DDR5 contract resets, 2D NAND prices just spiked 2–3× in the corner of the market that powers automotive ECUs, factory PLCs, network switches, and medical devices.
What happened: Samsung announced MLC NAND end-of-life with final shipments in June 2026. Micron, SK hynix, and Kioxia capped legacy output. TrendForce projects worldwide MLC capacity dropping ~42% YoY in 2026.
What's filling the vacuum: Macronix Q1 2026 revenue +71% YoY, gross margin 40.8%, NAND revenue +382% YoY. Macronix moved customers from quarterly to monthly pricing. Winbond approved a record NT$42.1B 2026 capex and says capacity is booked through 2027.
Why it matters beyond embedded: legacy hardware residual values are inverting. Decommissioned switches, storage controllers, automation gear, and test instruments built ~2014–2022 are shifting from "candidate for shred" to "candidate for harvest and resale."

https://www.buysellram.com/blog/the-other-memory-crisis-2d-nand-prices-spike-2-3x-as-samsung-micron-and-sk-hynix-walk-away/

#NANDFlash #MemoryShortage #ITAD#MLCNAND #SLCNAND #2DNAND #EmbeddedMemory #FlashMemory #Macronix #Winbond #Samsung #Micron #SKHynix #Kioxia #AIInfrastructure #HBM #DRAM #DataCenter #AIMemory

The Other Memory Crisis: 2D NAND Prices Spike 2–3x as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix Walk Away

2D NAND prices spike 2–3x in 2026 as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exit legacy flash—why it matters for embedded, industrial, and IT asset markets.

BuySellRam

The AI memory super-cycle has a shadow story.

2D NAND — the planar flash inside automotive ECUs, PLCs, switches, and medical devices — just spiked 2–3× as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exited. Macronix moved customers to monthly contracts. Winbond booked through 2027.

https://www.buysellram.com/blog/the-other-memory-crisis-2d-nand-prices-spike-2-3x-as-samsung-micron-and-sk-hynix-walk-away/

#NANDFlash #MemoryShortage #ITAD#MLCNAND #SLCNAND #2DNAND #EmbeddedMemory #FlashMemory #Macronix #Winbond #Samsung #Micron #SKHynix #Kioxia #AIInfrastructure #HBM #DRAM #DataCenter #AIMemory

The Other Memory Crisis: 2D NAND Prices Spike 2–3x as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix Walk Away

2D NAND prices spike 2–3x in 2026 as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exit legacy flash—why it matters for embedded, industrial, and IT asset markets.

BuySellRam

The AI memory super-cycle has a shadow story.
While headlines track HBM allocation and DDR5 contract resets, 2D NAND prices just spiked 2–3× in the corner of the market that powers automotive ECUs, factory PLCs, network switches, and medical devices.
What happened: Samsung announced MLC NAND end-of-life with final shipments in June 2026. Micron, SK hynix, and Kioxia capped legacy output. TrendForce projects worldwide MLC capacity dropping ~42% YoY in 2026.
What's filling the vacuum: Macronix Q1 2026 revenue +71% YoY, gross margin 40.8%, NAND revenue +382% YoY. Macronix moved customers from quarterly to monthly pricing. Winbond approved a record NT$42.1B 2026 capex and says capacity is booked through 2027.
Why it matters beyond embedded: legacy hardware residual values are inverting. Decommissioned switches, storage controllers, automation gear, and test instruments built ~2014–2022 are shifting from "candidate for shred" to "candidate for harvest and resale."
https://www.buysellram.com/blog/the-other-memory-crisis-2d-nand-prices-spike-2-3x-as-samsung-micron-and-sk-hynix-walk-away/

#NANDFlash #MemoryShortage #ITAD#MLCNAND #SLCNAND #2DNAND #EmbeddedMemory #FlashMemory #Macronix #Winbond #Samsung #Micron #SKHynix #Kioxia #AIInfrastructure #HBM #DRAM #DataCenter #AIMemory #technology

The Other Memory Crisis: 2D NAND Prices Spike 2–3x as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix Walk Away

2D NAND prices spike 2–3x in 2026 as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exit legacy flash—why it matters for embedded, industrial, and IT asset markets.

BuySellRam

The AI memory super-cycle has a shadow story.
While headlines track HBM allocation and DDR5 contract resets, 2D NAND prices just spiked 2–3× in the corner of the market that powers automotive ECUs, factory PLCs, network switches, and medical devices.
What happened: Samsung announced MLC NAND end-of-life with final shipments in June 2026. Micron, SK hynix, and Kioxia capped legacy output. TrendForce projects worldwide MLC capacity dropping ~42% YoY in 2026.
What's filling the vacuum: Macronix Q1 2026 revenue +71% YoY, gross margin 40.8%, NAND revenue +382% YoY. Macronix moved customers from quarterly to monthly pricing. Winbond approved a record NT$42.1B 2026 capex and says capacity is booked through 2027.

https://www.buysellram.com/blog/the-other-memory-crisis-2d-nand-prices-spike-2-3x-as-samsung-micron-and-sk-hynix-walk-away/

#NANDFlash #MemoryShortage #ITAD#MLCNAND #SLCNAND #2DNAND #EmbeddedMemory #FlashMemory #Macronix #Winbond #Samsung #Micron #SKHynix #Kioxia #AIInfrastructure #HBM #DRAM #DataCenter #AIMemory

The Other Memory Crisis: 2D NAND Prices Spike 2–3x as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix Walk Away

2D NAND prices spike 2–3x in 2026 as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exit legacy flash—why it matters for embedded, industrial, and IT asset markets.

BuySellRam

The AI memory super-cycle has a shadow story.

2D NAND — the planar flash inside automotive ECUs, PLCs, switches, and medical devices — just spiked 2–3× as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exited. Macronix moved customers to monthly contracts. Winbond booked through 2027.

https://www.buysellram.com/blog/the-other-memory-crisis-2d-nand-prices-spike-2-3x-as-samsung-micron-and-sk-hynix-walk-away/

#NANDFlash #MemoryShortage #ITAD#MLCNAND #SLCNAND #2DNAND #EmbeddedMemory #FlashMemory #Macronix #Winbond #Samsung #Micron #SKHynix #Kioxia #AIInfrastructure #HBM #DRAM #DataCenter #AIMemory

The Other Memory Crisis: 2D NAND Prices Spike 2–3x as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix Walk Away

2D NAND prices spike 2–3x in 2026 as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exit legacy flash—why it matters for embedded, industrial, and IT asset markets.

BuySellRam

The AI memory super-cycle has a shadow story.

2D NAND — the planar flash inside automotive ECUs, PLCs, switches, and medical devices — just spiked 2–3× as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exited. Macronix moved customers to monthly contracts. Winbond booked through 2027.

https://www.buysellram.com/blog/the-other-memory-crisis-2d-nand-prices-spike-2-3x-as-samsung-micron-and-sk-hynix-walk-away/

#NANDFlash #MemoryShortage #ITAD#MLCNAND #SLCNAND #2DNAND #EmbeddedMemory #FlashMemory #Macronix #Winbond #Samsung #Micron #SKHynix #Kioxia #AIInfrastructure #HBM #DRAM #DataCenter #AIMemory #tech

The Other Memory Crisis: 2D NAND Prices Spike 2–3x as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix Walk Away

2D NAND prices spike 2–3x in 2026 as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exit legacy flash—why it matters for embedded, industrial, and IT asset markets.

BuySellRam

The AI memory super-cycle has a shadow story.

2D NAND — the planar flash inside automotive ECUs, PLCs, switches, and medical devices — just spiked 2–3× as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exited. Macronix moved customers to monthly contracts. Winbond booked through 2027.

https://www.buysellram.com/blog/the-other-memory-crisis-2d-nand-prices-spike-2-3x-as-samsung-micron-and-sk-hynix-walk-away/

#NANDFlash #MemoryShortage #ITAD#MLCNAND #SLCNAND #2DNAND #EmbeddedMemory #FlashMemory #Macronix #Winbond #Samsung #Micron #SKHynix #Kioxia #AIInfrastructure #HBM #DRAM #DataCenter #AIMemory

The Other Memory Crisis: 2D NAND Prices Spike 2–3x as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix Walk Away

2D NAND prices spike 2–3x in 2026 as Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix exit legacy flash—why it matters for embedded, industrial, and IT asset markets.

BuySellRam
I was drawn to this essay for other reasons but this is my favourite quotation of Dr Miin Wu, founder of #Macronix, silicon chip manufacturer in #Taiwan: “That is my innovation, my contribution to the world... I was the one who brought the use of #statistics to the #manufacturing process. Working on such a small device, you must control the geometry very precisely... Using #data and statistics, first slowly, then more quickly, we were able to #optimise the devices.”
https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2023/june/margaret-simons/when-chips-are-down#mtr
When the chips are down

Silicon semiconductor production could be the one thing keeping Taiwan safe from a mainland China takeover

The Monthly
Focxonn übernimmt eine Halbleiterfabrik von Macronix für 77 Millionen Euro. Es ist Foxconns Einstieg in die Produktion eigener Chips.
Foxconn kauft Halbleiter-Fabrik für Kfz
Foxconn kauft Halbleiter-Fabrik für Kfz

Focxonn übernimmt eine Halbleiterfabrik von Macronix für 77 Millionen Euro. Es ist Foxconns Einstieg in die Produktion eigener Chips.