The 2026 memory crisis: why PCs and phones cost more

The word "chipflation" still sounds exotic, but in Chisinau you can see its effects without any analysts: a graphics card, a laptop or a PS5 costs noticeably more than in summer. We put global forecasts side by side with prices from 17 stores to understand what to expect.

What is the 2026 memory crisis?

It is a shortage of memory chips: DRAM (working memory) and NAND (flash memory for SSDs and smartphones). Memory makers are giving priority to servers for artificial intelligence, which leaves less for consumer electronics.

According to TrendForce (30 September 2026), in Q4 contract prices for conventional DRAM will rise another 10–15% quarter on quarter, and for NAND Flash 15–20%. The National, in an article on 20 October 2026, calls the phenomenon "chipflation" and cites Amazon US data: all 18 popular memory and storage products it analysed got more expensive, by 85–553%. A 1 TB Crucial SSD went from $100 to $392, a Corsair DDR5 kit from $125 to $550.

The memory crisis in Moldovan prices

Our price index across 17 stores, 15 July → 31 October 2026:

The catalog's "Consoles and accessories" category includes the PS5, steering wheels and gamepads; the index is calculated from the second half of July. We compare the lowest PS5 price across all stores from 15 August; see PS5 price in Moldova.

The logic of the crisis shows up directly in the table: the biggest rises are in devices with lots of fast memory, such as graphics cards, consoles and laptops. Peripherals, which contain almost no memory, cost the same as in summer or even less.

What has gone up the most

Lowest store prices, 15 July versus 31 October 2026:

Apple did not escape either: the iPhone 16 128 GB Teal went from 13,699 to 15,899 lei (+16.1%) and the MacBook Air 13 M5 rose 14.6%. For comparison, the table includes the Razer DeathAdder Essential mouse: its lowest price has not changed, because it contains no expensive memory. The PS5 Slim's lowest price is given from 15 August, the date from which we compare the lowest price across all stores.

Graphics cards are covered in detail in RTX 50 graphics card prices in Moldova: +22% since July. Why cheap phones are rising faster is explained in Best phone under 5,000 lei in 2026 and where to buy it. On consoles, see PS5 price in Moldova: up 30% since August, where to buy.

Why are cheap phones rising faster than expensive ones?

We split phone offers by storage and compared prices on 15 July and 31 October:

Prices rose most for 128 GB models, mainly budget Xiaomi and Redmi phones. The likely explanation: in a cheap phone memory makes up a bigger share of the cost, and there is less room to trim the margin. For 256 GB and 1 TB flagships prices barely changed, and some got cheaper after new models launched.

Graphics cards: the world and Moldova

VideoCardz wrote on 29 October 2026 that global graphics card prices rose 35% in just three months. In Moldova the median price of RTX 50 graphics cards is up 22% since 15 July. The ASUS RTX 5060 Ti Dual OC 16 GB cost 14,940 lei in summer and now starts at 21,589 lei (+44.5%).

Versions with more video memory rose most: the RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB is up 32.9% and the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB 24.0%.

Will PCs and smartphones get even more expensive?

TrendForce forecasts that memory contract prices will keep rising in Q4 2026. Contract prices reach stores with a delay, so the pressure on device prices is likely to continue through the winter. The National quotes Bain's view that the shift in demand towards AI "worsens the shortage and raises smartphone and PC prices".

We are not promising prices will keep rising: in retail, exchange rates, competition and clearance sales matter too. But we would not count on graphics cards or consoles returning to summer prices in the coming months.

What buyers should do: five tips

1. If you need it now, don't wait for summer prices to come back. Graphics cards and consoles are up 20–23%.
2. Compare stores. On the RTX 5080 the gap between stores reaches 16,236 lei, and on the Galaxy S26 Ultra 10,900 lei.
3. Look at the amount of memory. Sometimes the version with less memory rose less, sometimes the reverse. Check the specific configuration.
4. You can buy peripherals without worrying. Mice, keyboards and headphones have not got more expensive since summer.
5. Check Black Friday "discounts". Compare with your own reference price, not with the "old price" on the tag.

Exceptions: graphics card cuts at the end of October

Even in a crisis there are discounts. Between 16 and 31 October we recorded a few graphics card price cuts, and the new prices held until the end of the month:

These are exceptions: the graphics card index is still 20.9% above its July level. We applied the same strict rules as everywhere else: a stable price before, the new price held to the end of the month, and the card in stock.

How we calculated the index

The category index is the median price change for the same offers in the same stores between 15 July and 31 October 2026. The storage table includes only phones whose storage is stated in the product name. Models that appeared in the catalog after 15 July are not in the index, since there is nothing to compare them with. So the index shows how prices of the same products changed, not how much more it costs to buy a new model.

Moldovan prices come from the PriceList.md catalog on 31.10.2026 (17 stores, in-stock products only); global figures come from the sources listed below. Forecasts can change from month to month, so treat these figures as a snapshot of late October.