Global prices for consumer memory and storage components rose sharply in the second quarter of 2026, as ongoing supply shortages continued to hit key parts used in smartphones, laptops, and other electronics.
According to data from market research firm Sigmaintell, some DRAM prices surged by as much as 89% compared with the previous quarter, while certain storage components more than doubled in price.
The trend follows already elevated costs in Q1 and is expected to further increase pressure on consumer electronics pricing worldwide.
The average price of a 16Gb (2GB) DRAM chip rose from $19.20 in Q1 to $28.50 in Q2, marking an increase of around 49%. A 16GB DDR4 module also saw a sharp jump of 51%, climbing from $137 to $207.10.
Low-power memory used in mobile devices recorded even steeper gains. A 32Gb (4GB) LPDDR component rose by 75%, while a 96Gb LPDDR5X chip surged by 89%, reaching $145.90 the highest increase among reported DRAM categories.
Storage solutions also saw strong upward movement across SSD and embedded memory segments. A 512GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD rose by 54% to $126.30, while 256GB UFS 3.1 storage more than doubled, increasing by 103% to $62.70.
Other components, including 16GB eMMC storage, climbed by 69%, while uMCP packages widely used in smartphones and tablets surged by 107%, reaching $150.40.
Rising component costs have already begun affecting end-user pricing. Manufacturers have increased the cost of laptops, smartphones, and gaming consoles, with some devices seeing noticeable price adjustments in recent months.
A 16GB DDR4 kit that previously cost around $60–$70 is now significantly higher, while SSD prices have also doubled in some cases, with 1TB PCIe Gen 4 drives now commonly priced between $130 and $150.
Industry analysts attribute the shortage to a shift in production capacity toward high-value segments such as AI-focused high-bandwidth memory (HBM), server DRAM, and enterprise storage solutions. This has reduced supply availability for mainstream consumer products.
While manufacturers may eventually increase output of general-purpose memory, analysts say any relief is unlikely in the short term.
Market forecasts suggest the supply shortage could persist until 2028, meaning prices are expected to remain high or continue rising. Even in a stable scenario, a significant price drop appears unlikely in the near future.
As a result, continued pressure on memory and storage costs is expected to keep overall prices of consumer electronics elevated in the coming years
