Samsung has reportedly more than doubled the contract prices of its DDR5 memory, a move that is already rippling through the global consumer electronics supply chain and is expected to push device prices higher well into 2026.
According to industry tracker Jukan, Samsung has raised DDR5 contract prices by over 100 percent, taking per unit costs to nearly $20. The company has reportedly told downstream customers that supply is critically tight, bluntly stating there is “no stock.” The sharp increase suggests the current cycle of inflated DRAM pricing is far from temporary.
The surge is not limited to next generation memory. Contract prices for 16 GB DDR4 modules have also climbed steeply to around $18, eliminating what had been a fallback option for manufacturers trying to keep costs down. Reports from Taiwanese media indicate that spot market prices are rising even faster than long term contract pricing, with December seeing further increases despite earlier expectations that supply might ease.
Market analysts say the pricing pressure reflects memory makers prioritizing higher margin products and booming data center demand. As a result, OEMs that buy memory at scale are facing sharply higher bills of materials, costs that are likely to be passed directly to consumers across smartphones, laptops, and PCs.
TrendForce has warned that memory prices could rise sharply again in the first quarter of 2026, adding significant cost pressure for end device manufacturers. Memory now accounts for a larger share of total component costs, leaving brands with limited ability to absorb increases internally.
These dynamics are already shaping product decisions. Smartphone makers are reassessing memory configurations, with TrendForce suggesting that base models could revert to 4 GB of RAM in 2026, a specification level that had largely disappeared. Mid range and even higher end devices may also ship with tighter memory allocations, potentially slowing upgrade cycles and reducing perceived value.
Some manufacturers are reportedly considering the return of expandable storage options such as microSD card slots to offset smaller internal memory. Even Apple is expected to feel the impact, with analysts noting that memory will make up a significantly larger portion of the iPhone bill of materials in early 2026, potentially influencing pricing strategies and the lifespan of older models.
PC makers are facing similar challenges. TrendForce notes that notebook vendors, especially those producing ultra thin designs with soldered memory, have fewer options to manage costs. Dell has already announced planned price increases of 10 to 30 percent on commercial PCs starting December 17, driven largely by rising memory prices.
With further volatility expected into mid 2026, consumers may be heading into a hardware cycle defined by higher prices and leaner specifications, a shift driven in large part by Samsung’s aggressive DDR pricing strategy.