Mobile DRAM Contract Prices Keep Rising and Squeeze Smartphone Builds
Quick Report
TrendForce says mobile DRAM contract prices are still rising in 2Q26, adding more pressure to smartphone makers already facing tight memory supply. The firm expects LPDDR4X pricing to jump 70% to 75% QoQ and LPDDR5X pricing to rise 78% to 83% QoQ, with Samsung and SK hynix following different pricing strategies.
The higher cost environment is pushing brands toward smaller memory footprints, with 12 GB becoming the mainstream high-end option, 8 GB returning as the mid-range baseline, and 4 GB remaining common at the entry level. TrendForce also expects average smartphone DRAM capacity to reach 8.5 GB in 2026, but says the industry may still cut total output and struggle to meet earlier supply commitments.
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