Overview
- ASUS told partners it will raise prices on select configurations starting January 5, citing surging DRAM and NAND costs tied to AI demand.
- DRAM contract prices are projected to jump by up to about 50% in Q1 2026, according to DRAMeXchange reports cited by industry outlets.
- Samsung and SK hynix have much of their 2026 output already booked for AI customers, leaving tighter supply for smartphones and PCs.
- IDC and Counterpoint now model weaker 2026 shipments (smartphones down 2.1% to as much as 5.2%, PCs down up to 8.9%) and higher average selling prices (up to roughly 8% in pessimistic scenarios).
- Device makers are passing through costs: Dell is planning price increases and Framework raised memory module prices, while reports suggest AMD and Nvidia may hike consumer GPU prices due to VRAM costs.