In 2026, due to the shortage of memory chips, you may have to spend more money on products using them like smartphones and laptops etc.

Smartphones and laptops are expected to become more expensive next year due to the shortage of memory chips.

If you're planning to buy a new smartphone or laptop for the New Year, be prepared to pay a higher price. Memory chip prices have been rising for some time now, and this is already affecting products using Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). Companies like Dell, Asus, Lenovo, and HP have begun preparing for this. Let's explore this in detail.

There may be a shortage of memory chips.

According to reports, Dell, HP, and other companies operating in the computing space say that there could be a memory chip shortage by 2026. Consequently, the prices of memory-using products, such as desktops, laptops, and smartphones, are bound to rise. Indeed, some companies are exiting the memory product category, which is expected to lead to a decline. Micron is one such company which has announced that it will abandon consumer memory products and will solely manufacture high-powered AI chips.

The increasing demand for AI is also a big reason.

The growing demand for AI is a major reason behind the shortage of consumer memory chips. Companies are now focusing more on meeting the demands of AI enterprise companies, leading to a shortage of chips for smartphones and other devices.

This will affect the customers.

The memory chip shortage is sure to impact customers, forcing them to pay more for their products. Companies will now incur higher costs for purchasing chips, and they will pass this burden on to their customers. Dell's Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Clarke, says he has never seen chip prices rise at this rate. Consequently, all products will become more expensive. Dell says that the prices of its products could increase by 15-20 percent.