Samsung warns: TVs may become more expensive due to the RAM crisis!

Samsung is preparing consumers for possible price increases in electronics, including televisions. The reason is the escalating crisis in the DRAM and NAND memory market, which has impacted the entire consumer technology industry in recent months.

According to information provided by Samsung's management during CES 2026 in Las Vegas, the prices of DRAM and NAND have doubled, and in some cases even tripled in the last 3–5 months. The main culprit is the explosion in demand for AI-related hardware and infrastructure, which has diverted production capacity away from consumer electronics.

In short: algorithms, data centers, and "AI slop" on social media are beginning to seriously impact the prices of hardware in stores.

Crises That Will Affect Everyone

Samsung has no doubts – the situation is unprecedented and no one will be immune to its effects.

– “This is a situation we have not encountered before. No company is immune to its consequences” – said TM Roh, co-CEO of Samsung, to Reuters. – “The issue affects not only smartphones but all consumer electronics, from televisions to household appliances”.

Although televisions do not use high-performance DRAM memory known from AI servers or graphics cards, they are still dependent on the supply of basic memory components. And these are becoming alarmingly expensive.

When will TV prices go up?

For now, there are no sharp price increases visible in stores. TV manufacturers mainly operate based on long-term component contracts, which temporarily cushion the rise in costs. However, the problem will arise during their renegotiation and with the premieres of new models.

– “There will be issues with the availability of semiconductors, and they will affect everyone” – admitted Wonjin Lee, head of global marketing at Samsung, in an interview with Bloomberg. – “Prices are already rising. We don't want to pass this burden onto consumers, but we will reach a point where we will have to consider changing prices”.

What do the analysts say?

The research company Omdia warned on 18 December 2025 that the prices of DRAM used in televisions have doubled compared to the first half of 2025. Of course, memory is just one of many components in a television – the most expensive component remains the panel – but with the current margins, any increase in costs matters.

And those margins are brutally low.

The cheapest models are the most at risk

The television market has been operating on extremely thin margins for years, particularly in the budget and mid-range segments. It is here that any increases may be felt the most. Premium models – OLED, QD-OLED, or Mini LED – have more room to absorb costs, at least in the short term. If the memory crisis continues into 2026, and all signs suggest it will, televisions may become another category of equipment that quietly increases in price. Not abruptly, not overnight, but consistently – model by model, generation by generation.

This time, it's not about marketing, but about solid component mathematics.