Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have raised laptop prices twice within a span of three months, as a deepening shortage of memory chips continues to ripple through the global consumer electronics market.
According to a report by The Korea Herald, the price adjustments have driven some models up by nearly 50 percent compared to last year.
Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Book 6 Pro, equipped with 32GB RAM and a 1TB SSD, is now priced at 4.19 million won (about USD 2,847) in South Korea—up sharply from 2.81 million won (USD 1,914) for a comparable model a year ago. The company had already set higher launch prices in January before introducing a second round of increases this month, with hikes of up to 900,000 won (USD 613). Its premium Galaxy Book 6 Ultra now starts at 5.53 million won (USD 3,767).
LG has followed a similar path. Its 2026 Gram Pro 16-inch model debuted in January at 3.14 million won (USD 2,139), roughly 500,000 won more than its predecessor. By April, the price climbed another 400,000 won, reaching 3.54 million won (USD 2,411).
Industry observers say the surge reflects demand being brought forward in anticipation of further increases. However, they warn that once prices cross key psychological thresholds later this year, spending by both consumers and institutions could begin to weaken.
Data from Counterpoint Research shows memory prices jumped 80–90 percent quarter-on-quarter in early 2026. Supporting this trend, Omdia reported that the price of a 16GB DDR5 module rose from USD 72.20 in the fourth quarter of 2025 to USD 119.20 in the first quarter of 2026, with projections reaching USD 167.60 by year-end.
The impact is extending beyond laptops. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series, launched in March, saw price increases of about 100,000 won per model in South Korea and USD 100 for base and Plus variants in the United States. The company also implemented retroactive price hikes on its Galaxy Z Fold7 and Flip7 foldable devices in April.
According to TrendForce, memory components—once accounting for just 10–15 percent of smartphone production costs—now make up 30–40 percent. Major chipmakers including SK Hynix and Micron Technology are prioritizing high-bandwidth memory used in artificial intelligence applications, reducing supply for general-purpose chips used in PCs and smartphones.
Counterpoint estimates that meeting demand would require annual production growth of around 12 percent through 2027, while current expansion plans are closer to 7.5 percent. In the meantime, buyers are moving early: global PC shipments rose 3.2 percent year-on-year to 64.8 million units in the first quarter, as consumers and businesses rushed to purchase ahead of further price increases.
(With inputs from ANI)