With RAM costs hovering, it is time next-gen cellphone specs received inventive

[ad_1] The RAM disaster impacts smartphones, PC parts, handheld recreation consoles, and extra, is admittedly beginning to chunk. Between product delays, cancellations, and the expectation of value hikes, 2026 isn’t shaping as much as be a very good yr for getting new devices. Whereas the outlook isn’t nice, the tech business stays adaptive, if nothing else. Each disaster can also be a chance, and I’m not the one one who thinks that.

I've some sympathy for Carl Pei’s place that the RAM scarcity presents a chance for manufacturers which can be much less depending on spec sheets — and the looming value will increase — to market their wares. I don’t suppose that Nothing is precisely primed to learn any greater than anybody else (inexpensive telephones are in all probability extra weak to BOM value hikes), however that’s by the by. The RAM scarcity would possibly current some alternatives for manufacturers to interrupt the mould, however will they take it?

How a lot RAM do you have to purchase?

<img class="e_jg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Smartphone RAM" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Smartphone-RAM.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Smartphone-RAM-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Smartphone-RAM-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Smartphone-RAM-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Smartphone-RAM-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Smartphone-RAM-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Smartphone-RAM-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Smartphone-RAM-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Smartphone RAM" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Smartphone-RAM.jpg"/> Robert Triggs / Android Authority

The massive determination that manufacturers need to make is how finest to answer this shared drawback. Merely charging extra or settling for much less RAM (and maybe cupboard space) to carry costs regular are the plain choices, however they may even be the weakest: customers will ask why they’re paying extra for a similar {hardware} or why the spec sheet is weaker this yr. Ready to see what your rivals do additionally seems like a no-win state of affairs.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume manufacturers unanimously come to the conclusion that everybody’s costs are prone to go up in 2026. The query then turns into: may — or ought to — you make investments that headroom in one thing apart from reminiscence?

As an alternative of spending extra on RAM, perhaps manufacturers can improve different specs?

There are positively some attention-grabbing choices that could possibly be made. Maybe a baseline $799 flagship can accept 8GB of RAM (which was completely advantageous a few years in the past) as a substitute of 12GB, and spend the distinction on bettering its digital camera setup. Everybody loves better-looking footage, and a greater digital camera, or an additional one, is an efficient option to get a leg up on the competitors. Alternatively, investing in a bigger silicon-carbon battery would stand out way over slightly further RAM.

Possibly mid-range telephones can lastly spring for these dear IP scores, or make investments a bit more cash in design and construct supplies. Alternatively, manufacturers may double down on distinctive software program instruments, concepts like {hardware} keys, MagSafe-style wi-fi charging, or different smaller options that always make the distinction between mid- and flagship-tier handsets.

These options could make a tangible distinction to the on a regular basis consumer expertise, and customers would possibly really feel that they’re getting extra bang for a slight value improve versus a number of extra gigabytes of RAM (and even the identical quantity as final yr). In any case, these choices may permit telephones to distinguish themselves from those who take the extra apparent route of merely passing on the ballooning price of RAM.

If you happen to have been designing a cellphone in 2026, how would you deal with the RAM disaster? 0 votes

Suck up the value hike/go on the price

NaN%

Ship telephones with much less RAM on the identical value

NaN%

Scarified RAM for different enhancements

NaN%

One thing else (see the feedback)

NaN%

Can you actually skrimp on RAM within the AI age?

<img class="e_jg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="google pixel 4 active edge gemini hero 2" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/google-pixel-4-active-edge-gemini-hero-2-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/google-pixel-4-active-edge-gemini-hero-2-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/google-pixel-4-active-edge-gemini-hero-2-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/google-pixel-4-active-edge-gemini-hero-2-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/google-pixel-4-active-edge-gemini-hero-2-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/google-pixel-4-active-edge-gemini-hero-2-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/google-pixel-4-active-edge-gemini-hero-2-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/google-pixel-4-active-edge-gemini-hero-2-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/google-pixel-4-active-edge-gemini-hero-2-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Gemini pop-up on the Google Pixel 4." src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/google-pixel-4-active-edge-gemini-hero-2-scaled.jpg"/> Joe Maring / Android Authority

That’s advantageous on a cellphone with 12GB or 16GB to go round, however beneath tighter constraints like 8GB, it's a must to take into account whether or not AI options or app responsiveness ought to take priority. Given the combined reception to AI instruments, I don’t suppose many customers could be all that bothered if some offline options take slightly longer in addition up. Nonetheless, in case you’re planning to launch the perfect AI-equipped cellphone, having giant quantities of RAM is fairly non-negotiable lately.

There’s additionally a tangent right here that doesn’t get talked about a lot anymore: higher reminiscence administration. Smarter app eviction, extra aggressive background limits, and maybe even resorting to that dreaded swap area may all assist stretch smaller RAM budgets additional. That received’t magically clear up the issue — AI fashions, specifically, are nonetheless voracious — nevertheless it could possibly be sufficient to easy over the expertise on telephones that may’t afford to throw 12GB or 16GB of RAM on the drawback.

Even so, this successfully splits the market into two segments: the massive manufacturers that may soak up RAM prices or go them on to customers to be able to maximize AI capabilities, and the smaller gamers that may’t.

The race for AI means the specs aren't lifeless but.

Whereas that is already true to some extent — Google and Samsung have two of the bigger AI ecosystems, regardless that Nano runs with moderately modest necessities — the hole may widen if there’s a divergence between telephones that may and might’t meet future {hardware} calls for. Likewise, the expertise might really feel very completely different between telephones with spare RAM to dedicate to AI and people with out.

Maybe this can be a good factor. AI isn’t universally beloved within the cellular area (or anyplace, for that matter), and nudging some corporations to hunt out other ways to distinguish their merchandise could possibly be wholesome. Possibly manufacturers that focus extra on battery life, images, or distinctive designs would possibly fare higher than AI-obsessed rivals — however I doubt many company methods would need to guess on that.

The disaster can’t final endlessly

<img class="e_jg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra RAM use" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Samsung-Galaxy-S25-Ultra-RAM-use.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Samsung-Galaxy-S25-Ultra-RAM-use-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Samsung-Galaxy-S25-Ultra-RAM-use-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Samsung-Galaxy-S25-Ultra-RAM-use-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Samsung-Galaxy-S25-Ultra-RAM-use-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Samsung-Galaxy-S25-Ultra-RAM-use-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Samsung-Galaxy-S25-Ultra-RAM-use-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Samsung-Galaxy-S25-Ultra-RAM-use-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra RAM use" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Samsung-Galaxy-S25-Ultra-RAM-use.jpg"/> Robert Triggs / Android Authority

All that being mentioned, smartphone designs take years, not months. Altering plans on the final minute to accommodate the explosive costs of RAM up to now few months is unlikely. There’s in all probability little or no the Samsung Galaxy S26 sequence can do about it, for instance, apart from to stump up the added price or transfer to a barely completely different RAM configuration. Altering a broader vary of options is off the desk.

Nevertheless, telephones launching within the second half of 2026 have had a bit extra time to weigh further choices. There are optimistic expectations that the disaster will ease considerably by early 2027, by which case ready it out is likely to be the perfect guess. That mentioned, the RAM crunch may simply persist past the subsequent yr. If it does, it might pay to begin occupied with the way to construct extra thrilling telephones with out counting on copious quantities of RAM and storage to pad out spec sheets or energy next-gen AI fashions.

Clearly, I don’t suppose costly RAM is an efficient factor, not to mention a golden alternative for some manufacturers. It’s a headache that can make gadgets more durable to purchase and dearer, no less than briefly. Nonetheless, there could also be a sliver of alternative for manufacturers to shake up the established order over the subsequent yr or two. We’ll simply have to attend and see if we find yourself with some nice buys out of it.

Don’t need to miss the perfect from Android Authority?

<img class="e_jg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="9.375rem" title="google preferred source badge light@2x" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png 676w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x-64w-20h.png 64w" alt="google preferred source badge light@2x" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png"/><img class="e_jg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="9.375rem" title="google preferred source badge dark@2x" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png 676w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x-64w-20h.png 64w" alt="google preferred source badge dark@2x" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png"/> Thanks for being a part of our neighborhood. Learn our Remark Coverage earlier than posting.