Anyone who tried to buy a computer, a memory kit or a new phone this year noticed: prices went up. The reason is a global shortage of memory chips (DRAM), driven mainly by the enormous demand of AI data centers. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman even said recently that it is 'quite terrible' that memory sits in home computers rather than in data centers. So what is actually going on, and what does it mean for you?
Why did memory get so expensive?
The big memory makers, Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron, are shifting much of their production capacity to advanced memory for AI chips (HBM), which is far more profitable for them. The result is less ordinary memory for PCs and phones. According to TrendForce data cited in the media, consumer DRAM contract prices jumped as much as 89% in a single quarter of 2026.
Will prices fall soon?
Probably not. The CEO of Team Group, a Taiwanese memory maker, said early this month that the shortage is expected to worsen from late 2026 through 2027, and that he sees no downward trend in prices at all. Research firm Counterpoint noted that the pace of increases has eased compared with the first half of the year, but expects supply to stay tight, because major new fabs will only start producing in 2028.
What does it do to PC and phone prices?
PC makers have already raised prices, and according to reports the average price of a laptop or desktop in Europe rose by double digits over the summer. Smartphone makers are preparing further increases, and budget models are hit hardest, because memory is a large part of their cost. Some makers are even starting to use recycled memory: according to TrendForce, the share of phones with memory removed from old devices and re-soldered is expected to reach 7% to 9% in 2027.
So what should you do?
If you need a computer or phone in the coming months, there is no reason to wait for prices to fall: by every forecast, that will not happen before 2028. The upcoming Black Friday is a reasonable opportunity, but compare prices across several stores and check the model's price in previous months, because many 'deals' start from a price that has already risen.
How much memory do you really need?
Because upgrading later is hard and expensive, and impossible on many laptops, it is better to buy enough memory up front. For a home computer and office work, 16GB is a sensible minimum today. For anyone running AI tools locally, editing video or gaming, 32GB is better. And on phones, a model with more memory will hold up better against the software updates of coming years, many of which add AI features that need memory.
