Samsung Electronics has increased the contract prices for certain memory chips by as much as 60% since September, according to industry sources.
The price for a 32 GB DDR5 module reportedly jumped from about $149 to $239, while 16 GB modules rose around 50% and 128 GB modules approached $1,194.
This dramatic increase is driven by acute shortages in memory supply, fueled largely by massive demand from AI-data-centres and server infrastructure. Tom's Hardware+1
For Samsung, this gives significant pricing power—analysts say its comparatively slower shift into ultra-high-end AI memory chips means it still has strong exposure in commodity memory markets, which are currently tight.
However, the ripple effects are broad: higher memory costs are beginning to squeeze manufacturers of servers, PCs and smartphones, who may pass on the cost to consumers or face margin pressure.
In short, Samsung’s hike reflects a broader market tightening: supply is constrained, demand is surging (especially from AI/servers), and customers are beginning to pay steep premiums for memory modules that were far cheaper just months ago.