Samsung has raised DRAM prices by about 30 percent for Q2 2026, and this comes right after it doubled prices in Q1, which shows how strong demand remains across the memory market as companies continue to invest heavily in AI infrastructure and high-performance computing systems.
ETNews reports that Samsung has already finalized supply contracts with major customers at these higher rates, and the price increase applies across multiple DRAM categories including high bandwidth memory used in AI workloads as well as standard DRAM used in PCs, servers, and smartphones.
Price Growth Shows No Signs of Slowing
These increases build on a sharp rise earlier this year, where DRAM prices jumped around 100 percent year over year in Q1 2026, and now with another 30 percent increase in Q2, the cost of memory continues to climb at a pace that impacts the entire supply chain.
To put this into perspective, a DRAM unit priced at 10,000 Korean Won in early 2025 rose to 20,000 Won in Q1 2026 and now reaches around 26,000 Won in Q2, which reflects steady upward pressure rather than a short-term spike.
The demand surge comes from AI server expansion, where companies require large amounts of high performance memory, especially HBM, and this shift has also reduced supply for general-purpose DRAM, which further drives prices upward.
Samsung’s pricing strategy often sets the tone for the industry, and now SK hynix and Micron are expected to introduce similar price increases, which means the broader DRAM market will likely continue moving upward rather than correcting in the near term.
Industry officials say customers are still trying to secure long-term supply contracts, and this competition keeps pricing firm as companies rush to lock in memory before further increases take effect.
Impact on Smartphones and PCs
This trend directly affects consumer devices, especially smartphones, where memory costs now account for a large share of total production expenses, and recent estimates show DRAM makes up about 35 percent of the bill of materials for entry-level phones while NAND adds another 19 percent.
Together, memory components now represent more than half of the cost of a budget smartphone, which puts pressure on manufacturers and limits how much they can reduce prices for consumers.
At the same time, older DDR4 memory shows weaker pricing due to excess inventory being cleared, but newer standards like DDR5 and LPDDR5 continue to rise, and projections suggest LPDDR5 prices will increase further in the coming years.
Overall, the memory market continues to move upward, driven by AI demand and supply constraints, and this trend now shapes pricing across the entire tech industry.
