In the autumn of 2026, a broad-based price increase is set to hit electronic products like mobile phones and computers, spanning all price categories. This hike will impact newly launched models, those currently available in the market, and even second-hand devices. The price escalations will vary from a hundred yuan to several thousand yuan, with certain branded products experiencing cumulative increases nearing 30%. The main driver behind these price surges is the soaring demand for AI computing power. AI firms are engaging in fierce, high-stakes bidding for the production capacity of memory chips, compelling global memory behemoths to redirect more of their production lines towards high-end memory chips. Consequently, this has led to constrained production capacities and escalating prices for consumer-grade memory chips, with the advanced production capacities for the next two to three years already fully reserved.

Considering that the lead time for ramping up new memory chip production capacities spans two to three years or even more, with the majority of investments channeled into high-end segments, the trend of price increases is not expected to abate in the near future. Among these, high-end brands are relatively insulated, whereas mid-range and low-end brands and models, which operate on thinner profit margins and bear a higher proportion of core component costs, are under greater cost pressures. As a result, consumers are largely adopting a wait-and-see stance.