What the RAM crisis means for your next Samsung phone
The RAM crisis in smartphones refers to a global shortage of memory chips, where surging demand from AI data centers and rising production costs are driving up prices faster than phone makers can offset them through efficiencies, forcing brands like Samsung to pass higher memory costs onto consumers through repeated flagship price increases. Samsung has already raised Galaxy S26 prices in several markets, with base models reportedly up by €50 to €80 and US prices higher by USD 40 to USD 100 (approx. RM184 to RM460). Now, reports claim another Samsung phone price increase is coming, especially for Galaxy S series, Galaxy Z foldables, and Galaxy FE devices. In some markets, new hikes of around €100 are expected for flagship phones, with larger jumps for higher-storage versions. This makes the memory cost crisis a direct hit to Galaxy flagship pricing, not a distant supply-chain problem.
Why RAM chip shortages are pushing Galaxy flagship pricing up
Behind every Samsung phone price increase is a simple equation: memory has become more expensive, and phones need more of it. DRAM and NAND chips are being snapped up by companies building AI data centers, servers and cloud services, which sharply cuts the supply left for smartphones. According to TechManiacs, Samsung plans to raise prices on Galaxy S series phones, Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7, and Galaxy FE models, with all of those devices set to cost at least €100 more in one European market. Earlier in the year, Samsung told The Verge that global shortages of RAM and other materials, combined with tariffs, made a "significant contribution" to the Galaxy S26 price hike. When the cost of memory rises faster than manufacturers can absorb, each extra gigabyte of RAM or storage in your phone turns into a bigger line item on the final price tag.
From the factory to the checkout: how memory costs flow to consumers
At the supply-chain level, memory chips are no longer a predictable commodity. Suppliers facing heavy AI-driven demand are raising DRAM and NAND prices; phone makers then pay more for each component and must decide whether to shrink margins or raise retail prices. Up to now, brands like Samsung and Apple have offset RAM chip shortage shocks by trimming costs elsewhere, but reports suggest Samsung can no longer fully shield buyers. Flagship lines, which use high-capacity RAM and storage to power AI features and advanced cameras, are especially exposed. In one market, Galaxy S26 base storage models have already risen by €50 to €80, while new reports point to at least €100 more on upcoming Galaxy S series, Z Fold7 and Z Flip7, and FE phones. Higher-tier storage options are expected to see even steeper increases, since they pack in the most expensive memory components.
Why this isn’t just about Samsung—and what buyers can do
Samsung is at the center of the memory cost crisis because it builds both phones and chips, but the trend is industry-wide. Android Authority notes that OPPO, OnePlus, vivo, and Xiaomi have also raised prices amid RAM shortages, while Mashable points to companies such as Lenovo, Nintendo, and Dell lifting hardware prices as AI demand eats into memory supply. Foldables and premium models are likely to feel the strongest impact, as they rely on large RAM and storage configurations. Analysts warn that flagship smartphones “may become increasingly expensive” as brands balance rising production costs against pressure to add AI features, better cameras and bigger batteries. For buyers, this means future Galaxy Ultra, Z Fold, Z Flip and even FE or upper mid-range phones could keep inching upward. If you want a high-end Galaxy before the next wave of increases, you may need to buy sooner rather than later.
