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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWhen DRAM or NAND flash gets more expensive, phones and computers cost more to build. Manufacturers may pass some of that increase on through higher prices, absorb it with lower margins, change the memory or storage in a base model, or reduce the number of low-cost models they sell. There is no fixed formula that turns a chip-price increase into the same retail-price increase for every device.
What “memory” and “storage” mean in a device
DRAM is working memory: it holds data that a phone or computer needs while apps and tasks are running. NAND flash is persistent storage: it keeps files and software when a device is switched off. NAND is used for internal phone storage and in solid-state drives (SSDs).
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Both are physical components in a device’s bill of materials (BOM), the accounting of its direct component costs. The BOM is not the shelf price: it does not include every cost or commercial factor that influences what a buyer pays.
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When manufacturers buy DRAM or NAND at higher prices, their costs rise as new supply agreements and inventory work their way through procurement. TrendForce reported in July 2026 that higher-cost components were gradually flowing through notebook inventories and that smartphone makers might raise retail prices to offset high LPDRAM costs. The timing and size of any effect depend on contracts, existing inventory, product, and supplier.
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Manufacturers decide how to respond. They can raise a device’s price, accept a thinner gross margin, reduce RAM or storage in a base configuration, promote more expensive models, delay a refresh, or stop selling a low-end option that is no longer economical. IDC described both configuration reductions and higher prices as possible responses in low-margin product tiers.
That is why a rise in memory-chip contract prices does not translate mechanically into an equal percentage rise in the price of every finished phone or computer. The cited analysts do not give a universal formula for that pass-through.
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Why memory costs are under pressure
Analysts point to demand for AI systems and data centers as a major pressure on memory supply. Those uses compete with consumer devices for DRAM and NAND capacity. TrendForce reported in July 2026 that suppliers were prioritizing AI-related and server applications, reallocating capacity away from PC DRAM, and facing continued tight LPDRAM supply. Its Q3 2026 outlook also noted that consumer price tolerance could limit how quickly prices rise.
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Gartner’s April 2026 outlook linked sharp memory-price inflation to demand from AI, networking, and data centers. IDC likewise described AI infrastructure demand as competing with consumer-device needs for memory capacity. These are analysts’ explanations of current market pressure, not proof that AI is the sole cause of every price change.
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Why budget phones and computers are more exposed
Entry-level devices have less room to absorb component-cost increases because their margins are typically tighter and buyers are more price-sensitive. Gartner said entry-level smartphones were disproportionately affected, while premium smartphones were less exposed because of their higher margins.
IDC gave an example of how a phone maker might preserve a familiar price while reducing the specification: a model that might previously have shipped with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage could instead launch with 8GB and 128GB, or carry a higher price. IDC also said base PC configurations could have less RAM or SSD capacity. These were illustrative expectations, not predictions for every brand or model.
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For PCs, Gartner estimated that memory represented 16% of total BOM in 2025 and forecast that its share could peak at 23% in 2026. The estimate illustrates why memory inflation can matter to a computer’s cost structure, but it does not mean a PC’s retail price rises by the same percentage.
What analysts forecast for 2026
The following figures are forecasts or estimates, not confirmed outcomes. They use different methods and should be read separately rather than combined.
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| Publisher and date | Forecast or estimate | What it describes |
|---|---|---|
| Gartner, February 2026 | Combined DRAM and SSD prices up 130% by the end of 2026; PC prices up 17% and smartphone prices up 13% versus 2025 | Worldwide market outlook for component and finished-device prices |
| Gartner, February 2026 | PC shipments down 10.4% and smartphone shipments down 8.4% in 2026 versus 2025 | Worldwide shipment forecast |
| IDC, February 2026 | PC shipments down 11.3% and smartphone shipments down 12.9% in 2026 | Worldwide shipment forecast; IDC’s projections differ from Gartner’s |
| TrendForce, July 2026 | Conventional DRAM contract prices up 13–18% quarter over quarter; NAND flash contract prices up 10–15% in Q3 2026 | Component contract-price forecast, not finished-device retail prices |
| Gartner, April 2026 | DRAM annual prices estimated to rise 125% and NAND flash 234% in 2026 | Annual market estimates, distinct from TrendForce’s quarterly contract-price forecasts |
Gartner and IDC’s shipment projections differ; neither should be treated as an established result. The quoted price forecasts also describe different markets, periods, and measures, so they are not interchangeable.
What this could mean when choosing a device
If a model’s base specification changes or its price rises, compare the exact configurations rather than relying on the product family name. Check:
- How much RAM and built-in storage the specific configuration includes.
- Whether RAM or storage can be upgraded later, or is soldered and fixed.
- The price of the configuration you would actually buy, not just the advertised starting price.
- Whether the device’s support period and performance are likely to suit how long you plan to keep it.
- Whether external file storage works for your device and workflow.
An external SSD can provide additional file capacity on compatible devices, but it does not add RAM, replace internal storage for every workload, or undo a higher device price.
What the forecasts do—and do not—say
Gartner’s February 2026 forecast included Ranjit Atwal, a senior director analyst, saying, “The sub-$500 entry-level PC segment will disappear by 2028.” That is an analyst forecast, not an established outcome.
In an April 2026 release, Gartner senior principal analyst Rajeev Rajput said, “Memflation will destroy, or at least delay, non-AI demand into 2028, to varying degrees depending on the application,” This is also an analyst opinion about the possible effect of memory inflation, not a confirmed result.
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