Memory Prices Could Increase by Another 50% by the end of 2026
One of the most critical factors affecting hardware prices in the technology world is back on the agenda. According to a new report, memory prices may continue to rise for some time due to pressures on the production and supply sides. This situation seems likely to directly affect not only users who want to build PCs, but also the console, laptop, and pre-built system markets.
New Warning of Increase in Memory Prices
According to the latest assessment, memory prices may experience a new increase of 40% to 50% in the third quarter of 2026. The report also states that a price increase of 40% to 45% is expected on an annual basis. This scenario indicates that costs may become even heavier in the short term, especially for users who want to buy RAM and storage components.
It appears that the pressure on the sector is not limited to the PC side alone. Recently, new price increases have been announced for Xbox Series consoles, and Apple has also reportedly raised prices on some of its products. These developments show that the rise in memory and storage costs is reflected across different technology categories. Prices are expected to be more severely impacted, especially in pre-built systems and gaming-focused devices.
The report suggests that relief may only begin around 2028. This is due to the commissioning of new production capacity. According to expectations, adding approximately 15% to 20% more capacity to the market could lead to a decrease in average sales prices. However, until then, it seems likely that manufacturers will continue to pass on cost pressures to consumer prices.
The report also states that expectations of Chinese-based DRAM and NAND manufacturers significantly lowering prices are not entirely accurate. According to the report, these manufacturers’ main advantage is not price, but their supply-side strength. Moreover, a large portion of the current supply is directed towards local demand. Therefore, a rapid global decrease in memory prices does not seem very likely for now.
Read More: The RTX 4070 Ti Super Quietly Became the Best Graphics Card of the 2020s
