PC DRAM Prices Up Sevenfold in a Year
Global Brands Also Hike Prices
Korean Companies Struggle Amid High Exchange Rates
The surge in memory semiconductor prices has had a direct and significant impact on the personal computer (PC) market.
According to Samsung Electronics on January 18, the price of the 2026 model Galaxy Book6 series, which is scheduled to go on sale on January 27, will start at 3.41 million won. For the Pro model, the 14-inch version is priced at 2.41 million won, while the 16-inch version is set at 3.51 million won. Considering that the previous Galaxy Book5 Pro series ranged from 1.768 million won to 2.808 million won, it is clear that prices have risen significantly. In particular, the price increase feels even greater when taking into account that the Galaxy Book5 series was launched at up to 180,000 won less than the Galaxy Book4 series.
The higher-end Book6 Ultra 16-inch model is available in only two versions, depending on the graphics card specification, priced at 4.63 million won and 4.93 million won. Two years ago, the Book4 Ultra model offered a wider price range from 3.36 million won to 5.09 million won, but the new model starts at over 4.6 million won, making the entry barrier feel much higher for consumers.
LG Electronics is facing a similar situation. The new 16-inch notebook, LG Gram Pro AI 2026, has a launch price of 3.14 million won, which is 500,000 won higher than the previous model with similar specifications. Not only in Korea, but also among global notebook manufacturers such as Dell Technologies, Asus, and Lenovo, the launch prices of new products are rising one after another.
The main reason for the increase in notebook prices is the rise in memory semiconductor prices. According to market research firm DRAMeXchange, the fixed transaction price of standard PC DRAM (DDR4 8Gb) in December 2025 was $9.3 (about 13,700 won). This marked nine consecutive months of price increases since March 2025, when it was $1.35. The supply of standard memory has tightened because manufacturers have been focusing on producing high-performance memory, such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is more profitable.
The high exchange rate (weakening of the Korean won) has also contributed to price hikes. Since central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs)-the core components of laptops-are imported from American companies such as Intel and Nvidia, the high exchange rate has made it difficult to keep final product prices low. Nevertheless, manufacturers cannot sacrifice performance for the sake of price. On January 4 (local time), at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Samsung Electronics President Roh Taemoon stated, "We will become an AI companion in our customers' daily lives and lead the popularization of the AI experience." To build AI PCs, higher-capacity memory and storage devices are required compared to previous models.
There are concerns in the market that the sharp rise in prices of IT devices, including laptops, could lead to a slowdown in demand. Despite replacement demand driven by the end of Windows 10 support and the AI PC boom last year, Omdia has forecast that global PC shipments could decline by up to 9% year-on-year in 2026.
Industry insiders also expect that not only laptops but also the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, scheduled for release in February, will see price increases. Samsung Electronics is reportedly attempting to ease cost pressures by equipping the base and Plus models of the S26 series with its in-house mobile application processor, the Exynos 2600. However, President Roh emphasized, "The rising cost of key components, especially memory prices, is the biggest burden for the smartphone business." Counterpoint Research also predicted that global smartphone shipments will decrease by 2.1% in 2026.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
