The price of many everyday devices — from phones and laptops to TVs and even medical equipment — could rise in 2026, driven by a sharp increase in the cost of RAM, once one of the cheapest computer components.
Since October 2025, RAM prices have more than doubled. The surge is largely being fuelled by the rapid expansion of data centres that power artificial intelligence, which require huge amounts of memory. That spike in demand has thrown supply and demand out of balance — and when that happens, prices go up for everyone.
Manufacturers can usually absorb small cost increases, but this time the jump is simply too big.
“We’re being quoted prices up to 500% higher than just a few months ago,” says Steve Mason, general manager of computer maker CyberPowerPC. “At some point, manufacturers will be forced to make tough decisions about pricing.”
Any device that relies on memory or storage could be affected, he warns — and that’s almost everything.
RAM, or random access memory, is a core part of nearly every computer. It temporarily stores information while a device is running. Without it, even reading this article wouldn’t be possible.
Because RAM is so widely used, price increases are expected to continue well into 2026, according to Danny Williams of PCSpecialist. Some manufacturers have larger stockpiles and are seeing smaller price rises, but others — with limited supply — have raised prices by as much as five times.
Experts say AI is the main driver behind the surge. Demand for high-end memory used in AI systems has soared, pushing prices up across the entire market. With cloud giants like Amazon and Google locking in their memory needs for 2026 and 2027, suppliers can clearly see that demand will outstrip supply.
As a result, some RAM makers have raised prices aggressively — and a few have even stopped issuing quotes altogether, signalling confidence that prices will climb further.
For PC makers, memory used to make up around 15–20% of a computer’s cost. Now, it can account for as much as 30–40%. With profit margins already tight, most manufacturers simply can’t absorb the extra expense.
The impact on consumers could be noticeable. A typical laptop could cost manufacturers an extra $40–$50 to build in 2026, while smartphones could see production costs rise by around $30 — increases that are likely to be passed on to buyers.
Some companies are already shifting away from consumer products entirely. Micron, once a major seller of consumer RAM, has stopped selling its Crucial brand to focus on AI-related demand.
For shoppers, the choice may come down to paying more, settling for less powerful devices, or holding on to older tech for longer.
As Williams puts it: “Computers are no longer a luxury — they’re a necessity. But with memory prices rising, consumers will have to decide what they’re willing to compromise on.”
