HONG KONG: Memory chip prices for PCs and smartphones have risen about five- to sixfold in a year as manufacturers shift production towards AI-focused high-bandwidth memory, TrendForce analyst Ellie Wang told AFP.
Samsung Electronics warned that the shortage could deepen in 2027 and remain tight through 2028. Its latest results said demand for server DRAM, enterprise solid-state drives and high-bandwidth memory would keep the market undersupplied during the second half of 2026.
High-bandwidth memory, or HBM, supports processors that train and operate artificial-intelligence systems. However, suppliers’ focus on higher-value products has reduced their capacity for conventional memory used in consumer electronics, according to AFP.
Ken Tam, manager of Videocom Computer in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai Computer Centre, said 16 gigabytes of RAM now costs HK$1,500. The same capacity previously sold for HK$300 to HK$400.
Tam said his custom-computer business had halved since prices began rising in September. Customers who could delay purchases were waiting or choosing lower-performance components.
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Separately, TrendForce estimated that the contract price of a mainstream smartphone memory configuration almost tripled year on year in the first quarter.
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Memory now represents about 30% to 40% of a smartphone’s component cost, up from 10% to 15%.
Samsung, SK hynix and Micron dominate global memory production. Meanwhile, fourth-ranked ChangXin Memory Technologies became the largest A-share company by market value after its July 27 debut in Shanghai.
