To The Moon

As DRAM prices start shooting up like fireworks, Samsung’s two big departments are suddenly not playing nice. The semiconductor side (DS) has apparently told the Mobile Experience team (MX), “Nope, no more than one year of DRAM for you!” because it now wants to focus on making money, not being generous.

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This little sibling quarrel is making the upcoming Galaxy S26 launch extra spicy. With parts getting more expensive, Samsung might even have to bump up the price of its flagship phones.

Why the drama?

Because 12GB LPDDR5X RAM jumped to $70 in November—more than double what it cost at the start of the year!

Industry insiders told Sedaily that instead of a comfy 12-month supply contract, DS now wants to renegotiate every three months. So MX will have to basically knock on DS’ door every quarter going, “Hi… can we have more DRAM please?”

It got so tense that top Samsung execs had to step in, like parents breaking up a sibling fight.

Even after all that talking, MX only managed to secure enough DRAM to last until the end of Q4. To be fair, RAM was just $33 earlier this year—now it’s $70! DS is saying, “Sorry sis, but we need to make money during this memory shortage.” And honestly… they’re not wrong.

One senior researcher even predicts Samsung’s operating profit could hit $69 billion in 2026, boosted by pricier DRAM/NAND and better 2nm GAA chip yields. Samsung also wants its foundry business to finally turn profitable by 2027—so they’re making tough calls, even if it means saying “no” to their own smartphone division.

The downside?

The Galaxy S26 (launching Feb 2026) might get a price hike, which could make customers go “huh?” But on the bright side, Samsung’s flagships usually get discounts after a few months anyway… so buyers won’t be totally heartbroken.

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