RAM prices surge tied to AI data centers may raise phone, laptop prices in 2026
Random access memory (RAM), a core component used in products ranging from smartphones and televisions to medical devices and computers, has more than doubled in price since October 2025, driven largely by rising demand from data centers supporting artificial intelligence workloads.
Recent quotes for memory components were roughly 500% higher than just a few months earlier, warning that manufacturers may eventually have to raise prices if higher input costs persist.
The trend could continue through 2026, with price pressure varying by supplier: some vendors with larger inventories were seeing smaller increases, while others were raising prices by as much as five times.
“Chip War” author Chris Miller said AI was a key driver of memory demand, particularly for high-bandwidth memory used in advanced AI systems.
