Prices for solid-state drives and memory are climbing fast, and it’s starting to ripple through the entire tech world. As DRAM and NAND become more expensive, consumers are paying more for everyday essentials like laptops, smartphones, GPUs, and storage upgrades. Meanwhile, memory giants Samsung and SK hynix are positioned to benefit most from the surge, with updated forecasts suggesting an even bigger profit boom than previously expected.
A revised outlook from Kiwoom Securities now projects Samsung could generate about 107.612 trillion won in operating profit next year, or roughly $73 billion. That’s a notable jump from earlier expectations that placed Samsung’s 2026 operating profit in the 90–100 trillion won range (around $62–$69 billion). SK hynix is also expected to post massive gains, with a forecast of 93.843 trillion won, or about $63.8 billion. Combined, the two companies could pull in around $136 billion in annual operating profit—driven largely by the continued rise in DRAM and NAND prices.
The problem is that these gains are coming at a cost to the rest of the industry. When memory and storage prices rise, they inflate the cost of building virtually every modern device. One major concern is the impact on smartphone manufacturing. Counterpoint Research has estimated that memory price increases could push the smartphone bill of materials as high as 25%, a shift that could lead to a projected 2.6% decline in smartphone shipments in 2026. In practical terms, this can mean fewer upgrades, higher retail prices, or manufacturers cutting specs to keep devices affordable.
If shortages persist, some brands may be forced to ship more entry-level phones with just 4GB of RAM to manage costs. Interestingly, there could be a small upside for buyers in certain segments: higher storage prices may encourage a return of features like microSD card expansion, even in some high-end phones, as manufacturers look for cheaper ways to offer flexible storage.
The pressure isn’t limited to phones. In the laptop market, some notebook makers are reportedly considering 8GB of RAM as a standard configuration again, instead of pushing higher baseline memory. For consumers, that could translate into slower multitasking performance unless they pay more for upgrades.
Major PC brands are already reacting to tighter supply and higher costs. Companies such as Acer, Dell, and ASUS are expected to roll out significant price increases in the near future. The effects are also being felt in the graphics card market, with NVIDIA reportedly reducing production of its RTX 5000 series GPUs while taking ongoing DRAM limitations into account.
As device makers adjust pricing, specs, and production plans to handle higher DRAM and NAND costs, Samsung and SK hynix continue riding the wave. Samsung is also said to be aiming to hit profitability for its foundry business by 2027, adding another potential tailwind to its long-term growth plans—even as the rest of the hardware ecosystem struggles with higher component costs.
