DDR4 production expected to continue until 2026 — Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron will continue serving industry clients for longer
Expect consumer shortages in 2026
DDR4 memory is outdated, but there are plenty of PCs with this type of SDRAM — some of which were built as recently as 2023 — waiting for an upgrade. Due to reports about the end of DDR4 production at leading DRAM makers, pricing skyrocketed in the global market.
That leaves owners of DDR4 systems wondering whether they should upgrade their rigs now, as it was due to vanish from shelves soon. Thankfully, it appears that DDR4's lifespan has been extended, according to multiple industry sources.
The transition to a new type of consumer PC memory usually takes around seven to eight years. The decline of the previous generation DRAM standard usually happens within two to three years of the new standard's release.
Cut-throat competition between memory manufacturers means that they are keen to wind down production of previous generation products, to cut down costs. It also means that companies don't have to use aging technology with the latest nodes. Therefore, there will be no DDR4 and LPDDR4 devices made on 6th Generation 10nm-class nodes, such as 1c/1γ (1-gamma).
As a result, while there are plenty of entry-level platforms that support DDR4 today — including rather decent 13/14 Generation Core or Core 2-series based on the Raptor Lake silicon or all-new Bartlett Lake silicon — and can take advantage of lower-cost memory, they will not have a lot of time to do so.
Samsung and SK hynix will maintain production of DDR4 memory until the end of 2025 and Q1–Q2 2026, respectively. So DDR4 products are not going to vanish overnight, and will remain widely available well into 2026. After that period, it's safe to assume that DDR4 will become niche memory for applications with a very long lifecycle. Even after that, smaller players will keep producing DDR4 for those who need it.
Micron to ship final DDR4 chips in early 2026
Micron issued end-of-life notices for DDR4 and LPDDR4 products several months ago to customers in multiple high-volume segments, like consumer PCs, data centers, and mobile devices. Micron notified them that final shipments of mainstream DDR4 and LPDDR4 devices will occur within the next two to three quarters. Or in other words, early 2026.
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"Micron's leading-edge DRAM nodes such as 1ß and 1γ are focused on the latest-generation products such as DDR5, LPDDR5, and HBM, and are not utilized to produce DDR4 and LPDDR4," said Sanjay Mehrotra, chief executive of Micron, during the company's latest conference call. "DDR4 and LPDDR4 products are largely produced in our 1α (1-alpha) DRAM node."
As with previous memory transitions, Micron will continue to support long-term, lower-volume customers in the automotive, defense, industrial, and telecom sectors, with 1α DRAM for several more years, at appropriate prices. As a result, expect shortages of DDR4 and LPDDR4 memory from Micron to occur in the coming quarters. But the good news is that there are plenty of DDR4 memory modules available now from Micron's Crucial brand.
Samsung to sustain DDR4 production until December 2025
Samsung uses its 3rd Generation 10nm-class (1z) process technology to produce its inexpensive DDR4 devices. Due to strong demand and increasing prices of DDR4, the company is postponing the shutdown of its DDR4 1z DRAM production lines until the end of 2025, according to TheElec.
Samsung initially informed clients that it would end DDR4 1z DRAM production by late 2025, the report claims. However, to meet demand for previous-generation memory and grab some extra cash, the company decided to keep its 1z DRAM manufacturing line running for several more weeks, which equals millions of dollars. These lines are already fully depreciated, so the cost of keeping them up is low.
Normally, Samsung needs to install new production lines as soon as possible to meet demand for more advanced and popular products. However, just like Micron, Samsung is obliged to support its long-term clients from the automotive, industrial, and telecommunications sectors with low volumes of DDR4 for years to come. So mass-producing DDR4 for just a little longer makes sense for the company. Samsung's revised plan may also provide short-term relief for module makers and device manufacturers that do not have a long-term supply contract with the company.
Samsung is poised to sell DDR4 chips for several months (if not quarters) into 2026, assuming that the final mass-produced DDR4 device will be made in December 2025.
SK hynix to keep DDR4 production till Q2
SK hynix's transition away from DDR4 is expected to proceed as planned. According to a source with knowledge of the matter speaking to Tom's Hardware, SK hynix's production is winding down between the first and second quarters of 2026. This will likely make SK hynix the last high-volume producer of DDR4 memory. However, it remains to be seen whether it will prolong volume production.
Of course, the company will also keep supporting its clients with long-term contracts and niche applications with DDR4 chips for years to come. But, by 2027, it'll be hard to come by unbuffered DDR4 memory modules made by SK hynix.
The outlook on DDR4
DDR4 is being phased out, but it will remain widely available through at least 2025, or more likely for longer. For now, all three leading DRAM makers are producing DDR4 in volume, and will continue to do so for several quarters to come. Following this, DDR4 will continue to serve long-lifecycle products, but mainstream and consumer availability will shrink, with shortages expected to begin in 2026.
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Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.