AI’s Demand to Drive Server DRAM: 2024 Predictions Show 17.3% Annual Increase in Content per Box
February 5, 2024 | TrendForceEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
In 2024, the tech industry remains steadfastly focused on AI, with the continued rollout of advanced AI chips leading to significant enhancements in processing speeds. TrendForce posits that this advancement is set to drive growth in both DRAM and NAND Flash across various AI applications, including smartphones, servers, and notebooks. The server sector is expected to see the most significant growth, with content per box for server DRAM projected to rise by 17.3% annually, while enterprise SSDs are forecast to increase by 13.2%. The market penetration rate for AI smartphones and AI PCs is expected to experience noticeable growth in 2025 and is anticipated to further drive the average content per box upward.
Looking first at smartphones, despite chipmakers focusing on improving processing performance, the absence of new AI functionalities has somewhat constrained the impact of AI. Memory prices plummeted in 2023 due to oversupply, making lower-priced options attractive and leading to a 17.5% increase in average DRAM capacity and a 19.2% increase in NAND Flash capacity per smartphone. However, with no new applications expected in 2024, the growth rate in content per box for both DRAM and NAND Flash in smartphones is set to slow down, estimated at 14.1% and 9.3%, respectively.
The server industry, benefiting from rising demand for AI servers, has seen the introduction and mass production of advanced AI chips by key players such as NVIDIA, AMD, and CSP ASICs. Since training AI servers, which predominantly use DRAM for high-speed computing, currently lead the market, DRAM is expected to show a higher growth in content per box than NAND Flash with server DRAM anticipated to have a yearly growth rate of 17.3% and enterprise SSDs around 13.2%.
Lastly, in the notebook market, Microsoft’s AI PC specifications require CPUs with a capability of over 40 TOPS, met by processors like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite, AMD’s Ryzen 8000 series (Strix Point), and Intel’s Lunar Lake. However, notebooks equipped with these CPUs are expected to become widely available only in the latter half of 2024, thus providing limited short-term impetus for increasing memory capacity.
The primary requirement for AI PC hardware is expanding DRAM capacity to 16 GB, with no corresponding demand for a 1TB SSD. Therefore, the YoY growth rate for DRAM in laptops is projected to be around 12.4%. This growth is expected to be more pronounced in 2025 as AI PCs enter mass production. Meanwhile, client SSDs are also on an upward trend in terms of content per box, but due to a sharp rebound in NAND Flash prices, their annual growth rate is estimated to be only 9.7%.
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
10/17/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Much of the news over the last week focused on the push-pull between the U.S. and China and the latter’s most recent announcement about rare earth mineral restrictions. Despite that situation, the IMF raised its growth forecast, and global markets showed cautious optimism. Then, as the U.S. attempted to retreat from all environmentally based policy and ESG gains achieved to date, the global shipping emissions pact continues to gain momentum.
Hon Hai Sales Jump 11% on AI Server Boom, Boosting Nvidia Supply Chain
10/07/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamNvidia Corp.’s key server production partner, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., reported an 11% year-on-year rise in quarterly sales on October 5, underscoring sustained global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, Bloomberg reported.
Schweizer Ends Staff Restructuring Measures and Short-Time Working at the Schramberg Site
10/01/2025 | Schweizer Electronic AGSchweizer Electronic AG has implemented comprehensive measures to adjust its cost and personnel structure at its Schramberg site due to strong market fluctuations in the automotive and industrial electronics sector. Thanks to the successful restructuring, short-time working can now be ended with immediate effect. A stable order situation is expected for the fourth quarter, with signs of growth momentum returning in 2026.
Space Forge Inc. and United Semiconductors LLC Partner to Develop the Supply Chain for Space-grown Semiconductor Materials
09/29/2025 | Space Forge Inc.Space Forge Inc., the advanced materials company revolutionizing semiconductor manufacturing in space, has announced the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with United Semiconductors LLC, a leading specialist in bulk crystal growth of III-V semiconductor compounds. The agreement formalizes the ongoing collaborative efforts that started over a year ago, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the partnership between the two companies.
Nolan’s Notes: Everyone Has Their Eye on India
09/03/2025 | Nolan Johnson -- Column: Nolan's NotesIn this issue of SMT007 Magazine, we turn our attention to the Indian EMS market. We start with an interview with David Bergman, whose foresight in the early 2000s opened doors for the Global Electronics Association to begin helping Indian EMS companies with standards and certifications that would give EMS companies a footing to enter a global EMS market.