Trendforce revises hbm price forecast, predicts 121% increase by 2027

TrendForce has revised its forecast for HBM memory prices, predicting a 121% year-on-year increase by 2027. The rise is attributed to growing AI server demand and the increasing adoption of higher-priced HBM4 and HBM4E variants. Despite some companies considering lower-stacked 8Hi HBM as a cost-effective alternative to 12Hi, the higher base die requirement of 8Hi could lead to a 10-20% increase in unit cost. TrendForce notes that while adjusting stack layers may ease XPU costs, it won't reverse the overall upward trend in HBM pricing. The shift to 8Hi is seen as a strategic move by some firms for 2027, balancing performance, supply, and cost.