Samsung is preparing to raise the average selling price of its DRAM chips by approximately 20% as soon as this quarter, extending a steep upward trend in the memory market that is already reshaping consumer electronics pricing. Supply chain sources and industry insiders in China and Korea indicate the company has begun issuing verbal notices to select customers ahead of the formal adjustment. The move is reportedly part of a broader push across South Korea’s memory industry to lift general-purpose DRAM prices by the same margin compared to the prior quarter.
Persistent supply constraints amid AI-driven demand
The proposed increase comes on the heels of dramatic price hikes that have already redefined the cost base for memory buyers. Samsung’s average DRAM selling price surged more than 90% in the first quarter of this year, followed by an additional 50% rise in the second quarter. The planned 20% jump for the third quarter would therefore apply to an already significantly expanded base. Industry watchers tie the squeeze to unrelenting investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure, which channels manufacturing capacity toward high-bandwidth memory such as HBM4 and away from conventional DRAM used in consumer products.
Manufacturers’ strategic shift has drawn regulatory and legal scrutiny. Samsung and SK Hynix face a class-action lawsuit alleging price fixing and an intentional neglect of less profitable consumer-grade memory in favor of high-margin AI components. At the same time, official data shows a clear deceleration in price growth for some segments: market researcher TrendForce projects that DRAM contract prices will increase 13% to 18% this quarter as demand softens, while NAND flash contract prices are expected to climb by 10% to 15%. By contrast, certain widely used mobile memory chips, including Samsung’s 8 GB LPDDR5X module, are forecast to post a sharper 20% quarterly jump.
Retail impact and weakening demand forecast
End users are already absorbing the upstream pressure. Apple has publicly raised prices on its MacBook and iPhone lineups, stating it can no longer offset the rapid escalation in memory costs and must pass them along to consumers. Analysts warn that further price increases for RAM-heavy devices — notably gaming laptops, premium ultrabooks, and flagship smartphones — will continue into the second half of 2026. The cycle is projected to dampen purchasing activity, with phone shipments forecast to drop 11% in 2026, according to some market estimates. The enduring demand from AI-oriented data centres offers little indication that memory supply pressures will ease in the near term.
Sources: zdnet.co.kr, www.yicai.com