Samsung raises DDR5 memory prices by up to 60 percent, triggering fears of smartphone and PC price hike

Samsung

Samsung has sharply increased prices of its DDR5 memory chips, with some modules becoming as much as 60 percent more expensive compared to September. The jump comes amid an intensifying global scramble to build AI data centres, pushing memory demand well beyond supply. The move lands just days after Xiaomi warned that surging chip costs were already inflating the price of making smartphones, hinting that consumers may soon feel the impact.

According to a Reuters report, Samsung held off on releasing its October contract pricing before introducing the steep hikes this month. The biggest increase affects 32GB DDR5 modules, which now cost $239, up from $149 in September. Tobey Gonnerman, president of semiconductor distributor Fusion Worldwide, said server makers and hyperscale data centre builders are paying extreme premiums as they accept that supply will fall far short of demand.

Prices for 16GB and 128GB DDR5 chips have also risen by around 50 percent, reaching $135 and $1,194 respectively. Meanwhile, 64GB and 96GB DDR5 modules have climbed by more than 30 percent. These components are critical for both servers and consumer devices, enabling fast data transfer and responsive performance across computers, smartphones and AI workloads.

The shortage is severe enough to trigger panic buying among some customers, according to industry analysts. Xiaomi’s warning last month now appears well timed, with the company revealing that escalating memory costs were already straining smartphone manufacturing budgets. With Samsung’s increases now in force, costs for building devices such as smartphones, laptops and PCs could rise noticeably in the coming months.

For companies investing heavily in AI infrastructure, the spike adds further pressure to already expensive buildouts. Memory is one of the most crucial components for training and running advanced AI models, and the current crunch risks delaying or inflating the cost of major data centre upgrades.

At the same time, the situation offers Samsung a significant commercial advantage. While the company has lagged its competitors in high-end AI chip development, the global demand surge for memory is now pushing its profitability upward at a pace it had not seen earlier in the year. With customers scrambling to secure supply, Samsung finds itself in a favourable position even as the wider industry confronts rising costs.