Summary
- DRAM shortages are continuing to push laptop prices higher. Mid-range models are moving to 8GB of RAM.
- High-end and gaming laptops will likely stick with 16-64GB, but at higher prices.
- Smartphones will more often feature 4GB of RAM as manufacturers delay upgrades.
Get ready for laptops to become more expensive across the board.
As the ongoing memory crisis continues and DRAM prices skyrocket, mid-range laptops -- the current biggest segment in space -- could soon more commonly feature only 8GB of RAM, forcing buyers to accept a lower price-to-performance ratio, alongside overall higher costs (via Wccftech).
In a new analysis, TrendForce outlines that the shift will primarily affect mid-range laptops, with high-end devices still offering 16GB of RAM at inflated prices -- at least for now. Sticking with this trend, gaming and premium business laptops will continue to feature 32GB or 64GB of DDR5 memory, but again, at higher prices.
Laptop manufacturers will reportedly make this downgrade in order to ensure that mid-range devices remain reasonably priced, with 8GB of RAM becoming the new normal for middle-of-the-road laptops as part of a long-term adjustment. This also allows manufacturers to ensure their supply chains remain consistent.
TrendForce predicts there will be "significant price fluctuations in the PC market" by the second quarter of 2026.
According to TrendForce, a side effect of this shift will be the extension of some laptop life cycles and the comprehensive reworking of pricing structures. Adding to this, high-end ultra-thin laptops, which often have DRAM soldered directly to their motherboards, will likely increase in price significantly, given their RAM specifications can't be easily lowered like more traditional laptops.
Overall, TrendForce predicts there will be "significant price fluctuations in the PC market" by the second quarter of 2026, so get ready for a wild pricing ride if you're looking to buy a new computer in the next few months.
Smartphones will also reportedly be hit by memory cost increases, too
Even Apple is reportedly rethinking its smartphone pricing strategy
On the smartphone side, 4GB RAM devices are set to become far more common, with fewer high-end handsets upgrading to 16GB, a common move manufacturers like Samsung have made recently, says TrendForce's report. In general, smartphone manufacturers will reportedly postpone notable upgrades as a cost-saving measure. Even Apple is expected to reevaluate its smartphone pricing strategy and could reduce or remove price cuts on older iPhone models entirely.
In other DRAM-related news, Framework was recently forced to increase the price of its laptops by 50% due to the ongoing RAM shortage.
You can find TrendForce's full analysis at this link.
