The RAM crisis seems like one of those problems that we hope will be solved soon so that the prices of phones and consumer electronics in general return to normal. Unfortunately, another industry expert – this time a company director Nothing, Karl Page – warns that the current prices are probably the best we will see in the coming period and that it is smarter to buy now.
His message, if we were to summarize it, is simple – phone prices are rising unstoppably and will continue to rise.
Memory has become the most expensive component
In his post on social networks, Karl Pei highlighted a worrying trend for all gadget lovers. According to him, memory is now the most expensive item in production and can amount to more than 50% of the total hardware cost.
„If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to buy a new device, the best moment was yesterday. The next best thing is now. This year’s sales season will not bring the discounts that people are used to“, he said Pej.
Memory is now the most expensive component in a smartphone. It’s more expensive than the processor, more expensive than the display, and can account for more than 50% of the total hardware bill.
For Phone (4a), memory costs doubled between when we decided to build the device and… https://t.co/4dJdSDwd6T
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) June 12, 2026
This warning implies that popular discounts at the end of the year, such as those for Black Fridayprobably won’t be that big. Given that tech prices are on the rise – as we’ve already seen with the PS5 and Steam Deck for example – the holiday sales could at best only bring prices back to pre-increase levels.
Clash of opinions of industry leaders
Pej’s warning follows statements from company executives Nvidia, Džensena Huangawho recently stated that the current memory shortage is a crisis that will last “for several more years.”
On the other hand, the former head of Samsung’s semiconductor division, And-jun Kyungoffers a slightly more optimistic view. He predicts that RAM prices could weaken in late 2027 or early 2028. This could happen solely thanks to a big jump in production in Chinese factories.
However, both sides have their own motives. The following things should not be forgotten.
- Nvidia records a record growth in the value of shares precisely because the prices of memory and AI components are rising. Huang wants companies to buy the chips now for fear of further price increases.
- Nothing and Carl Pay want to motivate customers to buy their phones immediately at full price. Thus, the company would more easily cover the high production costs of the current line of devices.
In addition to RAM memory, we are also witnessing big jump in the price of SSD devices. Even if one crisis comes to an end, another may be in full swing.
An additional problem is that many technology companies have pre-ordered components at current, high prices. This means that inflation will remain on retailers’ shelves for some time to come, even in the best-case scenario. says TomsHardware.