Smartphone Brands Have Found a Way to Get Cheaper RAM

Some Chinese smartphone manufacturers have reportedly began using recycled memory chips from old devices in newly produced phones as the global DRAM shortage continues to drive up costs and disrupt production.

Key points

• Honor's New Gaming Phones Come With Massive 12, 070mAh Batteries and Built-In Cooling Fan.
• According to Counterpoint Research, a number of Chinese smartphone brands reduced their production targets during the second quarter of 2026 as of rising memory costs and supply shortages.
• Industry reports suggest that the shortage and elevated rates could continue beyond 2027, putting further pressure on smartphone manufacturers, particularly those producing affordable devices.
• Major manufacturers, including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, are prioritizing higher-margin server memory and high-bandwidth memory (HBM), leaving less production capacity for smartphone memory.
• According to Counterpoint Research, using recycled DRAM is a temporary response to supply constraints rather than a long-term solution.

Nevertheless, some manufacturers began increasing their production targets toward the end of the third quarter after gaining access to recycled DRAM chips recovered from discarded smartphones, computers, and servers.

Honor's New Gaming Phones Come With Massive 12, 070mAh Batteries and Built-In Cooling Fan. How Recycled RAM Is Applied.

Manufacturers reportedly recover DRAM chips from older electronic devices, clean them, conduct tests, and install suitable components in new smartphones.

Some firms are additionally considering using recycled memory exclusively in certain budget smartphone models to reduce manufacturing costs.

Notably, the approach allows manufacturers to maintain production without relying entirely on newly manufactured memory chips. It have become more expensive and tough to obtain.

Although recycled DRAM can support manufacturers reduce costs, analysts have triggered concern concerning its long-term reliability.

Memory chips that have already been applied for five or six years may have a similar amount of service life remaining.

Over time, aging memory cells can degrade, potentially increasing data errors and affecting device performance.

While testing can identify chips that have already failed, it cannot fully eliminate reservations concerning the long-term durability of reused components.

This creates potential risks for both smartphone manufacturers and consumers, particularly if recycled chips are installed in devices projected to last a number of years. Huawei Reportedly Launching New Affordable Brand of Smartphones. Global Memory Shortage Continues.

Meanwhile, the shortage is being driven partly by growing demand for memory chips applied in artificial intelligence servers and data centers.

Meanwhile, the reports have not identified which smartphone brands or specific models are using recycled memory chips. Nevertheless, the growing practice highlights how manufacturers are adjusting production as memory shortages continue to affect the smartphone industry. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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In short, smartphone Brands Have Found a Way to Get Cheaper RAM is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.