December 4, 2025
Memory Lane? More like Toll Road
RAM is so expensive, Samsung won't even sell it to Samsung
Fans cry price gouging as AI hoards memory and your phone gets pricier
TLDR: Samsung’s chip unit reportedly refused a long-term RAM deal to its phone unit, forcing pricier short-term buys amid an AI-fueled shortage. Commenters blast price gouging, joke about AI “eating RAM,” and debate Samsung’s internal feud—warning that phones and PCs may get more expensive for years.
Samsung’s chip-making arm reportedly told its phone-making sibling to take a number, thanks to sky-high RAM prices and AI data centers waving fat checks. The community went full courtroom drama: DocTomoe says this happens every few years with each new memory standard and smells price gouging, not just an “AI bubble.” They point to DDR (a faster type of memory) switches as the usual scapegoat. itopaloglu83 wants regulators to “check their books,” while jsheard shrugs that Samsung vs. Samsung is normal—this family feud has been flipping between its own chips and rivals for ages.
The story: Samsung Electronics wanted a long-term deal for smartphone memory, but Samsung Semiconductor said nope—quarterly renegotiations only, at higher prices. That tracks with reports from SE Daily via SamMobile: chipflation means consumer gadgets will feel the squeeze. Raspberry Pi raised prices, Lenovo is stockpiling, and TeamGroup forecasts parts have tripled, with pain potentially stretching into 2027.
Cue memes: “AI ate my RAM,” “Memory Lane is a toll road,” and one bold demand—shevy-java wants a refund from OpenAI. Others question the 2026 timing and why orders weren’t locked earlier. The vibe? Equal parts outrage and comedy, with the crowd split between “broken markets” and “Samsung’s corporate Thunderdome.” Either way, everyone’s bracing for pricier phones and PCs.
Key Points
- •A report says Samsung Semiconductor rejected a long-term DRAM order from Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Experience division, opting for a short-term, higher-priced deal.
- •Memory makers are prioritizing AI data center customers, driving a supply crunch and higher RAM prices for consumer devices.
- •Samsung cannot independently confirm the report, but it expects consumer device prices to rise due to memory costs.
- •Raspberry Pi raised prices citing memory costs, and Lenovo is stockpiling memory to hedge against market volatility.
- •TeamGroup forecasts component prices have tripled, modules can jump 100% in a month, and supply constraints may extend into 2027.