14.11.2025 16:27
The global technology giant Samsung increased the prices of certain DDR5 memory chips by 60% in November. This price hike could also raise the costs of smartphones and computers.
Samsung Electronics increased the prices of certain DDR5 memory chips by up to 60% in November compared to September. DDR5 chips, used in servers with high artificial intelligence processing capacity, are facing serious supply shortages due to the rapid growth of global data center investments. This situation has led to aggressive price hikes.
SERVER MANUFACTURERS UNDER PRICE PRESSURE
Tobey Gonnerman, President of chip distributor Fusion Worldwide, stated that large data center companies are now struggling to find sufficient products, with many customers having to "accept the scarcity." Samsung's 32 GB DDR5 modules rose from $149 in September to $239 in November.
The price of 16 GB DDR5 increased by 50% to $135; 128 GB DDR5 modules reached $1,194 with a 50% increase. There was also a 30% increase in 64 GB and 96 GB capacity DDR5 modules.
PANIC BUYING HAS STARTED
The shortage of memory supply has reached such a critical level that many companies have entered a stockpiling race. China's largest contract chip manufacturer, SMIC, announced that the memory crisis has also delayed orders for other types of chips. Smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi reported that rising memory costs have started to increase device production expenses.
SAMSUNG STANDS OUT WITH PRICE POWER IN COMPETITION
In recent years, Samsung has lagged behind its competitors in artificial intelligence chips, but it has increased its pricing power thanks to its strong position in memory. Jeff Kim from KB Securities notes that Samsung's market power has surpassed that of SK Hynix and Micron. According to TrendForce analyst Ellie Wang, Samsung could increase contract prices by 40-50% during the October-December period. This rate is significantly above the industry average of 30%.