The RAM crisis affects smartphones, PC components, handheld game consoles, and more, is really starting to bite. Between product delays, cancellations, and the expectation of price hikes, 2026 isn’t shaping up to be a good year for buying new gadgets. While the outlook isn’t great, the tech industry remains adaptive, if nothing else. Every crisis is also an opportunity, and I’m not the only one who thinks that.
I have some sympathy for Carl Pei’s position that the RAM shortage presents an opportunity for brands that are less dependent on spec sheets — and the looming price increases — to market their wares. I don’t think that Nothing is exactly primed to benefit any more than anyone else (affordable phones are probably more vulnerable to BOM price hikes), but that’s by the by. The RAM shortage might present some opportunities for brands to break the mould, but will they take it?
How much RAM do you need to buy?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
The big decision that brands have to make is how best to respond to this shared problem. Simply charging more or settling for less RAM (and perhaps storage space) to hold prices steady are the obvious options, but they might also be the weakest: consumers will ask why they’re paying more for the same hardware or why the spec sheet is weaker this year. Waiting to see what your competitors do also feels like a no-win situation.
For the sake of argument, let’s assume brands unanimously come to the realization that everyone’s prices are likely to go up in 2026. The question then becomes: could — or should — you invest that headroom in something other than memory?
Instead of spending more on RAM, maybe brands can upgrade other specs?
There are definitely some interesting decisions that could be made. Perhaps a baseline $799 flagship can settle for 8GB of RAM (which was perfectly fine a couple of years ago) instead of 12GB, and spend the difference on improving its camera setup. Everyone loves better-looking pictures, and a better camera, or an extra one, is a good way to get a leg up on the competition. Alternatively, investing in a larger silicon-carbon battery would stand out far more than a little extra RAM.
Maybe mid-range phones can finally spring for those pricey IP ratings, or invest a bit more money in design and build materials. Alternatively, brands could double down on unique software tools, ideas like hardware keys, MagSafe-style wireless charging, or other smaller features that often make the difference between mid- and flagship-tier handsets.
Those features can make a tangible difference to the everyday user experience, and consumers might feel that they’re getting more bang for a slight price increase versus a few more gigabytes of RAM (or even the same amount as last year). In any case, these options could allow phones to differentiate themselves from those that take the more obvious route of simply passing on the ballooning cost of RAM.
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