AI Memory Shortage Pushes DRAM Pricing Above HBM Across Six-Layer Storage Stack

Surging artificial intelligence demand has pushed conventional DRAM pricing per gigabyte above high-bandwidth memory (HBM), highlighting the extent to which AI infrastructure buildouts are reshaping the global memory and storage market.
Because AI workloads require capacity well beyond HBM alone, industry commentary breaks the six layers of memory and storage pricing down as follows:
- SRAM ($3,000/GB): Ultra-fast on-chip memory for AI inference
- HBM ($20/GB): High-bandwidth memory feeding GPUs
- DRAM ($25/GB): Working memory for servers, PCs, and smartphones
- NAND ($0.30/GB): Flash storage for AI context and inference
- HDD ($0.016/GB): Low-cost bulk storage for large-scale AI datasets
- Tape ($0.008/GB): Long-term storage for AI data archives
Key companies with exposure across these memory, storage, and compute layers include $MU, $SKHY, $SNDK, $STX, $WDC, $IBM, $NVDA, and $CBRS.