Laptop RAM prices have risen sixfold over the past year
Gaming laptop manufacturer XMG has raised prices on most current models by €100-300. One of the main reasons was a sharp increase in RAM costs – DDR5 SO-DIMM modules for laptops now cost six times more than in July 2025.
DDR5 SO-DIMM prices have nearly sextupled
XMG tracked prices of three mass-market and still available DDR5 SO-DIMM models via the German aggregator Geizhals. For each month, the company took minimum prices around mid-month, calculated the average, and compared it to the July 2025 level.
During this period, the average market price of the selected modules increased nearly sixfold. This corresponds to an increase of approximately 500%, not 600%, since the current price is about six times the original value. XMG clarifies that its own procurement prices have risen in a comparable proportion.
The problem is no longer limited to RAM. The company reports rising procurement prices for SSD, printed circuit boards, electronic components, Intel mobile processors, and AMD, graphics chips, and GDDR7 video memory.
Laptops XMG increased in price by €100-300
New prices in the European bestware store are effective from September 18. In most cases, the starting price of laptops has increased by €100-150. The SCHENKER KEY 18 Pro (E25) workstation saw the largest price hike: its base price rose immediately by €300. All stated XMG amounts include 19% VAT.
| Model | Change in starting price | Additional changes |
|---|---|---|
| XMG APEX 16 (M26) | +€100 | Ryzen 9 9955HX: +€40 |
| XMG APEX 16 MAX (M25) | +€150 | Ryzen 9 9955HX: +€40 |
| XMG APEX 17 (M25) | +€150 | RTX 5070 12 GB: −€50 |
| XMG CORE 15 (M25) | +€100 | — |
| XMG CORE 16 (M25) | +€100 | — |
| XMG FOCUS 17 (M25) | +€150 | — |
| XMG FUSION 15 (L25) | +€150 | — |
| XMG FUSION 16 (M25) | +€100 | RTX 5070 8 GB: −€35 |
| XMG NEO 16 (A25) | +€100 | RTX 5090: +€120 |
| XMG NEO 16 (M26) | no changes | RTX 5090: +€120 |
| XMG PRO 16 (M25) | +€150 | — |
| XMG PRO 16 VE (M25) | +€100 | — |
| XMG PRO 16 VE (M26) | +€100 | — |
| SCHENKER KEY 18 Pro (E25) | +€300 | RTX 5090: +€120 |
The reduced surcharge for the RTX 5070 in APEX 17 and FUSION 16 does not mean the laptops themselves have become cheaper: their base price increased at the same time. The current price hike did not affect the XMG EVO, SCHENKER CONNECT, ELEMENT, and WORK series.
Why laptops are getting more expensive
TrendForce data show how the cost structure has changed. In early 2025, the processor, DRAM, and SSD accounted for about 45% of the component cost of a typical laptop with a retail price of $900. By the third quarter of 2026, their share had risen to 68%. To maintain the same gross margin, a comparable model would have needed to be sold at roughly 80% higher prices, although in practice manufacturers can partially offset rising costs by reducing their own margins or using inventory purchased earlier.
One reason for the memory shortage remains the reallocation of production capacity in favor of server DRAM and HBM for AI infrastructure. In TrendForce’s latest forecast for the fourth quarter of 2026, it is stated that this continues to limit memory output for consumer devices, while contract prices for DRAM and NAND Flash remain under pressure from demand by cloud providers.
