Nothing CEO: RAM Became the Most Expensive Component of Phones
Nothing CEO Carl Pei announced that RAM costs have surpassed chipsets in smartphone production. Increasing prices and market claims for 2026 are in our news.
Nothing CEO Carl Pei announced on June 12 that the cost stability in smartphone production has changed and RAM has now surpassed chipsets to become the most costly component in a device. This development, which shook the technology world, is due to the significant price increases in memory chips and storage units, especially in 2026.
The doubling of memory costs during the production process of the Nothing Phone (4a) model reveals the difficulties faced by manufacturers in the sector. This situation causes the discounts expected by consumers to decrease and smartphone prices to gain an upward momentum in general.
- RAM and storage units account for more than half of the total production cost of a smartphone today.
- High demand for artificial intelligence technologies has led to DRAM prices increasing by up to 30% in 2026.
- Manufacturers are incurring unprecedentedly high costs to supply memory chips due to limited supply quotas.
- In order to balance this increasing cost burden, smartphone brands are making upward price adjustments in device sales prices.
Supply chain crises in the industry directly affect not only independent manufacturers such as Nothing, but also giants such as Samsung, Google and Xiaomi. According to Pei’s statements, many smartphone models released since February took their place on the shelves with a price tag of approximately $ 100 higher than the previous generation devices. This covers a wide range from budget-friendly devices to upper segment flagship models.
The Increase in Memory Prices Affects the Department Deeply
The spread of artificial intelligence systems around the world has increased the demand for memory chips to an uncontrollable level. While suppliers had difficulty increasing their production capacities in the face of heavy demand, phone manufacturers also entered into heavy competition to find the components they needed.
The price increases made by Nothing on the Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro models shortly after their launch are considered as a concrete reflection of this economic reality.
This rapid increase in smartphone prices indicates that big discount campaigns may become a thing of the past in the coming period.
Purchasing Time is Running Out for Consumers
Carl Pei has clear advice for tech enthusiasts and consumers planning to buy a new device. According to Pei, as market conditions become more difficult day by day, postponing purchasing decisions may result in much higher costs in the long run. Not only smartphones, but also the laptop market gets its share of this trend; The prices of some models have doubled compared to the first quarter of the year.
Experts recommend taking advantage of current opportunities to avoid paying higher prices in the future.
Market Conditions Remain Uncertain
Although manufacturers work hard to avoid passing on the increasing costs to consumers, bottlenecks in the supply chain make this increasingly impossible. This dramatic rise in RAM prices seems likely to continue to be one of the biggest agenda items in the technology world throughout 2026. Users are expected to experience a stronger process in finding affordable devices in the coming period.
Do you think these RAM-related price increases in smartphones will cause brands to cut back on device features? You can share your opinions and intentions about betting with us in the comments section.
