Schenker, the manufacturer behind XMG laptops, reports a sixfold increase in DDR5 SO-DIMM memory costs over the past year. This trend mirrors the 500% price surge observed in desktop RAM during the same period. The company notes that rising expenses extend beyond memory to include CPUs, GPUs, video memory, SSDs, PCBs, and various electronic components.
External economic factors are exacerbating these costs. Conflicts in the Middle East have driven up fuel and oil prices, leading to higher air freight rates and increased insurance premiums for maritime shipping from Asia to Europe. Consequently, Schenker has raised retail prices for several laptop models, emphasizing that its profit margins remain unchanged.
The company maintains that price adjustments are strictly a response to upstream cost pressures and will be reversed if input prices decline. This approach aligns with the strategy recently adopted by Framework, which lowered memory prices for its Laptop 13 Pro after securing more affordable LPCAMM2 modules.
Industry outlooks regarding the DRAM shortage remain divided. Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra anticipates that supply constraints will persist until 2027. Conversely, Asus CEO Jason Chen suggests that price increases are already cooling due to consumer resistance and expects a market reversal in the second half of 2027, driven by expanded production from Chinese manufacturers.
