Samsung Ends 2025 on Top in Memory as AI Demand and Higher Prices Kick In

Samsung had a strong finish to 2025, at least in the memory business. In Q4, it climbed back to the number one spot globally by revenue, pulling ahead of SK Hynix after spending much of the year playing catch-up. That’s a solid turnaround, especially given how aggressively SK Hynix has pushed into high-bandwidth memory over the past few quarters.

Samsung finishes 2025 ahead of SK Hynix as memory prices surge

Samsung generated KRW 37.1 trillion ($25.9 billion) from memory sales in Q4 2025. As Counterpoint Research notes, the turnaround comes down to two things happening at once. First, demand for premium memory like HBM and server-grade DRAM is still climbing. Second, prices for conventional DRAM have risen sharply, so even standard chips are far more profitable than they were a year ago.

SK Hynix, meanwhile, still has plenty to brag about. Counterpoint says the company posted an industry-leading operating margin of 58% in Q4. Back then, the memory market was stuck with excess inventory and falling prices, pushing many suppliers into the red.

Analysts cited by Counterpoint expect the momentum to carry into 2026, helped by the ramp-up of next-gen HBM and steady demand for server memory. “2026 is projected to be a ‘Golden Era’ for the memory industry, as the mass production of HBM4 aligns with the maximization of profitability in conventional DRAM,” noted Counterpoint’s Senior Analyst, Jeongku Choi.

For Samsung and its rivals, that’s obviously great news. For the rest of us, not so much. Memory costs are a big part of phones, laptops, tablets, and just about anything with a screen and a processor. When those costs rise, brands either eat the hit or pass it on to buyers. For the Galaxy S26 series, at least, a reliable source says Samsung will absorb the higher memory costs.