- Samsung's DRAM and SSD prices have doubled in South Korea since November 2025
- Samsung is reportedly focusing on producing memory for AI enterprises
- An analyst predicts that 30% of the total cost of manufacturing products could be on memory
The PC hardware market is arguably in its worst state in years due to the ongoing memory crisis, leading to price increases nearly across the board – and with a troubling case from a popular manufacturer, consumers may fear the worst.
That popular manufacturer is Samsung, and prices for its DRAM and SSDs have doubled or 'sometimes even tripled' in the last two months in South Korea, according to TheElec.
This is reportedly due to Samsung's focus on producing memory for AI enterprises, ultimately leading to a supply shortage for consumers, which sounds similar to Micron's approach in its push towards AI.
For example, a DDR5 RAM module was sold at 100,000 won in November, which is around $69. However, recently, the same Samsung RAM stick was sold for 400,000 won, placing it at around $278. That's a 300% price increase for only 16GB of memory.
Distributors are also buying both RAM and SSDs from Samsung at higher prices, which directly impacts consumer prices – and while this report focuses on the crisis in South Korea (where Samsung is based), it's not unreasonable to believe this will extend to other regions.
A Counterpoint Research analyst, MS Hwang, predicts that 30% of the total manufacturing cost for products will be on memory alone, as reported by TweakTown.
If this estimate is correct, we could essentially see all hardware that uses memory skyrocket in price, and with the current state of affairs, where most manufacturers are pushing for a greater focus on AI, it's not looking very positive for consumers in 2026 and beyond.
Analysis: I hope the AI push fails, and I'm not afraid to say it
There's no denying that AI has been beneficial for PC hardware, specifically for gamers, with Nvidia improving its DLSS upscaling models for better performance and image quality. However, I think AI is currently doing more damage than good for consumers, and I'm hoping the bubble bursts.
Prices are increasing at unprecedented rates for RAM and now, SSDs, with Best Buy's 2TB options far above normal pricing. A prime example is the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB SSD available for $399.99, which is the price you would normally find for a 4TB option.
AI is taking the reins of the PC hardware market and its trajectory, and I fear that the longer this continues, the more normalized it could become, until high prices for such hardware become irreversible.
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Source: TechRadar
