memory prices – An investment-bank forecast points to steep DRAM price jumps in late 2026 and all through 2027, with only limited relief expected in 2028. Separate guidance from Gartner suggests DRAM and SSD prices could spike even higher, pushing PC and smartphone prices upw
If you were hoping the memory crisis might finally start to cool off. the timetable being sketched on Wall Street is blunt. The expectation isn’t a return to normal—it’s another stretch of higher prices. and it could land in the most ordinary places: the next smartphone you buy. the laptop you upgrade. the tablet you carry to work.
Investment bank Jefferies is projecting memory prices to jump by 40–50% in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the current quarter. And it doesn’t stop there. Jefferies expects prices could rise by another 30–40% in the fourth quarter of the year.
For all of 2027, Jefferies projects a 40–45% year-on-year increase. Taken together with those quarter-by-quarter estimates. the compounding effect comes out to roughly a 150–205% price increase between today and the end of 2027. If you’re shopping for a new smartphone or laptop during that window. the worry is the same across the industry: memory costs tend to flow straight into what consumers end up paying.
There is a thin slice of relief in 2028. Jefferies expects that roughly 15–20% of new manufacturing capacity could come online. But even that may not translate into cheaper devices quickly—demand from AI and computing is expected to keep growing at the same time. More supply could mean the pressure eases somewhat, but it may not be enough to change the direction of prices.
Other guidance paints a similarly hard climb. Research firm Gartner predicted that combined DRAM and SSD prices could surge 130% by the end of 2026. That forecast is tied to downstream price effects: average PC prices could rise by 17% and smartphone prices could rise by 13% compared to 2025 levels.
For smartphone buyers, the math gets uncomfortable fast. On a $1,000 phone, that 13% would mean an additional $130.
Gartner also warned about a different kind of impact—one that doesn’t show up as a clear line item. but hits product availability. The entry-level PC segment, devices costing less than $500, could effectively disappear by 2028. The reason is straightforward: companies may not be able to recoup component costs, let alone earn a healthy margin.
And even the supply that exists may not be available to everyone. The reporting surrounding the memory shortage says 50% of total memory capacity is already locked into long-term contracts with major tech firms. That share could increase even further to 70%. which would leave even less room for consumer device makers trying to secure the parts that power the next wave of phones and computers.
Put together, the forecasts don’t point to a crisis that’s about to end. They point to a longer squeeze—one where pricing pressure starts in the components and ends up on receipts, while lower-cost device options risk getting pushed out as margins tighten and supply stays tied up.
memory crisis DRAM prices SSD prices Jefferies forecast Gartner forecast smartphone prices PC prices entry-level PCs long-term memory contracts AI demand
So basically my next phone is gonna cost a mortgage now?
I don’t get why they can’t just make more memory, like… isn’t that the point of factories? Feels like companies always blame “supply” but prices still climb anyway. My guess is it’ll never go back down.
Wait are they saying the price increases start in 2027 or like end in 2027? I read it like it’s 40-50% in 2026 then another 40% and then “150-205%” total which sounds like double-double. Either way I’m just gonna keep my laptop until it literally dies.
If it’s AI demand causing it then shouldn’t AI companies be paying for it? Also DRAM/SSD… that’s like the same thing as internet speed right? Either way this sounds like greedy pricing dressed up as math. I’m holding off on upgrades and buying used I guess.