A report by Counterpoint Research last month revealed that memory prices have jumped between 80% and 90% since the first quarter of 2026, compared with the end of last year. This includes everything from DRAM to NAND and even HBM, all of which are now sitting at record highs.

And guess what? All of these costs will eventually be passed down to consumers. According to industry tipster Digital Chat Station (DCS), the combined cost of 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB UFS 4.1 storage has now surpassed the price of a flagship processor like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

For years, chipsets have been the most expensive component in a high-end phone. Now, memory and storage are catching up, if not overtaking them.

There’s also no clear sign of relief. According to DCS, the same memory-and-storage configuration is expected to exceed 2,300 yuan by the second quarter. This will add even more pressure on manufacturers already operating on tight margins.

In fact, Meizu has reportedly paused its in-house hardware development for new phones and is exploring partnerships instead. Meanwhile, companies across the board have begun adjusting prices. OnePlus and Oppo, for example, have recently increased smartphone prices in China.

For consumers, this means higher prices are becoming harder to avoid, even outside the premium segment. Both budget and mid-range phones are now being pulled into the same cost pressures.

The only positive

The one silver lining, according to Digital Chat Station, is that newer phones are at least getting more capable hardware. As component costs rise, manufacturers appear to be compensating by upgrading specifications. delivering the hardware users expect and, in some cases, adding new features along the way.

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