February 27, 2026 – Just when everyone thought the memory price hike was taking a breather, a sudden move by SK Hynix has thrown the market into a frenzy. The company has announced a staggering 40% price increase for DDR5 memory chips, prompting some memory module manufacturers to halt their external quotations.
Rose Lee from PCDIY! warned that this new wave of price hikes will follow a similar pattern to previous ones, with prices surging in rapid succession. “Soon, the mainstream 32GB DDR5 memory, currently priced around NT10,000,willsoartotheNT20,000 mark,” she said.
Lee also pointed out that while retailers still have inventory purchased at lower prices and many enthusiasts have stockpiled memory, it will take time to deplete these affordable supplies. However, once the 40% cost increase kicks in, prices will skyrocket to unprecedented levels.
SK Hynix isn’t the only player driving up prices. Recent reports reveal that during negotiations with Apple over memory supply, Samsung initially aimed for a 60% price hike but ultimately demanded a 100% increase in its formal quotation. Surprisingly, Apple accepted this doubling of prices without much negotiation.
Adding to the industry’s concerns, PC giant HP stated during its earnings call that memory and storage costs are expected to account for 35% of PC component expenses this year, nearly doubling from last year’s figure. This perfect storm of price increases from major suppliers is sending shockwaves through the entire tech industry, with consumers likely to bear the brunt of these escalating costs.
