GoKawiilSmartphone makers turn to reballed memory as DRAM prices surge, says TrendForce
TrendForce reports that reballed memory—chips desoldered from old devices and resoldered onto new ones—currently makes up 3–4% of smartphone memory use, mostly in budget 4G phones priced under roughly $200 with 4GB LPDDR4X modules. The research firm projects this share will rise to 7–9% by 2027 as manufacturers look for cheaper alternatives to new memory chips.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
TrendForce suggests rising DRAM prices, expected to climb further in early 2027, could push reballed and other lower-spec components beyond entry-level phones into more premium models, as manufacturers try to protect margins without raising retail prices. This points to a broader industry shift toward component recycling as a cost-management strategy rather than a niche practice limited to cheap devices.
- Reballed memory currently accounts for 3-4% of smartphone memory, mostly in sub-$200 4G phones.
- TrendForce forecasts this share could double to 7-9% by 2027 amid rising DRAM prices.
- The practice may expand from budget devices into premium smartphones if memory costs keep climbing.
Source: tomshardware.com — Kunal Khullar, 2026-11-09
Published there as: “Memory shortage spurs smartphone makers to melt used memory off old devices, then re-solder it onto new products”
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