Television prices in India are set to come under renewed pressure as the global cost of RAM and other memory components rises, with budget models expected to feel the impact more sharply than premium televisions. The increase is particularly relevant for 32-inch and 43-inch smart TVs, where memory costs account for a larger share of the overall bill of materials. Industry estimates indicate that memory costs can add as much as 20%–25% to the price of smaller televisions, while the impact on larger-screen models is below 5%.
The latest pressure on TV prices comes as the global memory market faces a severe supply-demand imbalance, partly driven by strong demand from artificial-intelligence data centers. Memory manufacturers are prioritizing higher-margin products used in AI infrastructure, tightening availability for consumer electronics. Similar cost pressures are already affecting smartphones, laptops and other devices, suggesting that Indian TV buyers could face higher prices at a time when the festive shopping season is approaching.
Budget TVs Face The Biggest Price Pressure
The immediate impact is expected to be concentrated in the budget segment, particularly 32-inch and 43-inch smart televisions.
Unlike premium televisions, where the display panel represents a much larger portion of the overall product cost, memory components can represent a comparatively meaningful share of the bill of materials for lower-priced smart TVs. Manufacturers therefore have less room to absorb a sharp increase in RAM and storage costs without affecting retail prices.
| TV Segment | Expected Impact From Memory Costs |
|---|---|
| 32-inch budget TVs | High |
| 43-inch budget TVs | High |
| Mid-range TVs | Moderate |
| Large-screen TVs | Lower |
| Premium TVs | Below 5% impact reported |
| Smaller TVs | Up to 20%–25% impact reported |
The contrast is significant. Industry commentary cited by Indian Express indicates that memory costs could contribute as much as 20%–25% to the price of smaller televisions, while the impact on larger screens remains below 5%.
Why Smaller TVs Are More Vulnerable
Smart televisions require memory to run their operating systems, streaming applications and background processes. A typical affordable smart TV may use relatively modest memory compared with a laptop or smartphone, but the component can still represent a meaningful percentage of the total manufacturing cost.
For a low-cost TV, even a relatively small increase in component prices can therefore have a visible effect on the final retail price.
This is particularly important in India’s entry-level market, where consumers are highly sensitive to changes of even a few thousand rupees.
RAM Prices Are Rising Across Consumer Electronics
The TV industry is not facing the memory-cost problem in isolation.
RAM and storage prices have risen sharply across the electronics industry as semiconductor manufacturers struggle to balance demand from AI infrastructure with traditional consumer-electronics requirements.
Recent industry data shows just how severe the memory-price increase has become. High-end DDR5 memory prices have risen by as much as 500% year over year in some markets, while 128GB DDR5 kits have reached around $3,399 compared with previous lows of roughly $329.
| Memory Market Indicator | Recent Figure |
|---|---|
| High-end DDR5 price increase | Up to 500% YoY |
| 128GB DDR5 current price cited | ~$3,399 |
| Previous 128GB DDR5 low | ~$329 |
| Approx. increase from previous low | More than 10x |
| DDR4 price increase cited | 120%–180% |
| DDR5 price level in German retail market | ~486% of July 2025 level |
The figures come from international memory markets rather than Indian TV retail pricing, but they illustrate the scale of the underlying component-cost shock.
AI Data Centers Are Reshaping Memory Demand
The central driver behind the current memory shortage is the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure.
Modern AI data centers require enormous quantities of advanced memory, including high-bandwidth memory and other high-performance components. Semiconductor manufacturers have increasingly prioritized these products because they offer higher margins than many traditional consumer-electronics memory products.
This creates a supply squeeze for companies producing televisions, smartphones, PCs and other devices.
| Source Of Memory Demand | Impact |
|---|---|
| AI data centers | Very high demand for advanced memory |
| Cloud computing | Strong server-memory demand |
| Smartphones | Large volume of conventional DRAM |
| Laptops and PCs | DRAM and SSD demand |
| Smart TVs | RAM and storage requirements |
| Gaming devices | High-performance memory requirements |
The competition for semiconductor capacity means consumer-electronics companies can face higher component costs even when their own demand has not increased significantly.
Smart TVs Are More Exposed Than Traditional TVs
The memory issue is primarily relevant to smart televisions rather than basic display-only sets.
A smart TV essentially operates as a connected computing device. Its operating system needs RAM to run applications, while internal storage is required for apps, updates and other software.
| TV Type | Memory Dependency |
|---|---|
| Basic display TV | Low |
| Non-smart TV | Low |
| Entry-level smart TV | Moderate |
| Android/Google TV | Moderate to high |
| Premium smart TV | Higher overall computing requirements |
| AI-enabled smart TV | Potentially higher |
As manufacturers add more sophisticated operating systems, voice assistants, AI picture processing and app ecosystems, memory becomes increasingly important to the television’s overall user experience.
That means the long-term trend toward smarter televisions could also increase manufacturers’ exposure to memory-price volatility.
Festive Discounts May Not Fully Offset Higher Costs
India’s television market typically sees aggressive promotions during the festive shopping season, when brands and retailers compete for customers through discounts, exchange offers and financing schemes.
However, the current memory-price increase could make it more difficult for manufacturers and retailers to offer the same level of price reductions as in previous years.
The NewsBytes report warns that consumers waiting for festive discounts may not necessarily benefit if manufacturers continue facing higher component costs or if inventories of lower-priced models become constrained.
| Festive-Season Factor | Possible Effect |
|---|---|
| Higher RAM costs | Raises manufacturing expenses |
| Limited component supply | Can restrict production |
| Aggressive discounts | Compress manufacturer margins |
| Higher retail prices | Reduces affordability |
| Inventory shortages | Limits availability of popular models |
| Exchange offers | Could become more important |
The result could be a more complicated festive TV market in which headline discounts exist but the underlying selling prices remain higher than consumers expected.
TV Prices Had Already Been Under Pressure
Memory is also arriving as an additional cost problem for the Indian television industry.
Earlier in 2026, manufacturers were already dealing with higher production expenses linked to plastics, freight and geopolitical disruptions. The TV industry had warned that rising memory-chip prices could contribute to weaker sales alongside those other cost pressures.
A previous industry forecast had suggested that television prices could rise by around 3%–10% in 2026 because of higher chip costs and currency depreciation.
| Cost Pressure | Impact On TV Manufacturers |
|---|---|
| RAM/DRAM | Higher electronics cost |
| NAND storage | Higher storage cost |
| Plastics | Higher chassis and component costs |
| Ocean freight | Higher logistics expenses |
| Rupee depreciation | Raises cost of imported components |
| Geopolitical disruption | Can increase supply-chain costs |
The accumulation of these pressures makes it more difficult for manufacturers to absorb the latest memory-price increase.
Why Premium TVs May Be Less Affected
Premium television manufacturers have more room to absorb individual component-price increases because memory represents a smaller percentage of the total selling price.
A ₹1,000 increase in component costs can be much more significant for a ₹15,000 television than for a ₹1 lakh premium model.
| Example TV Price | ₹1,000 Cost Increase As Share Of Price |
|---|---|
| ₹15,000 TV | 6.7% |
| ₹20,000 TV | 5.0% |
| ₹30,000 TV | 3.3% |
| ₹50,000 TV | 2.0% |
| ₹1,00,000 TV | 1.0% |
These are illustrative calculations rather than forecasts of actual TV price increases. They demonstrate why lower-priced products are more sensitive to the same absolute component-cost increase.
This also explains why manufacturers are likely to prioritize protecting premium models while adjusting pricing more aggressively in entry-level categories.
The Indian TV Market Could See A Shift In Consumer Demand
Higher prices could change what consumers buy.
Customers who had planned to purchase a 43-inch smart TV may decide to purchase a 32-inch model instead, while some entry-level buyers may postpone their purchases altogether.
Others may choose televisions with simpler specifications and lower memory requirements.
| Consumer Response | Potential Market Effect |
|---|---|
| Delay purchase | Lower near-term TV sales |
| Choose smaller screen | Shift toward lower-priced models |
| Choose basic smart TV | Reduce memory-related cost |
| Buy during early promotions | Pull demand forward |
| Upgrade to premium model | Higher average selling price |
| Continue using smartphone | Delays TV replacement |
The NewsBytes report also notes the possibility that higher TV prices could cause some consumers to continue consuming video content on smartphones instead of upgrading their television.
Smartphone And Laptop Price Hikes Show The Wider Trend
The pressure on TVs is part of a broader consumer-electronics cost cycle.
Indian smartphone manufacturers have recently started increasing prices on selected models as memory and chipset costs rise. Companies including Realme, Oppo, Vivo, Samsung and OnePlus have been reported to raise prices on some devices.
Laptops are facing similar pressure. ASUS India executives have warned of substantial price increases in 2026 as memory costs rise, while Apple has already increased prices for some MacBooks and iPads partly because of higher memory and storage costs.
| Product Category | Memory-Cost Pressure |
|---|---|
| Smartphones | High |
| Laptops | High |
| PCs | High |
| Tablets | High |
| Smart TVs | Increasing |
| Gaming consoles | Increasing |
| Routers/streaming devices | Increasing |
The TV industry is therefore part of a much larger electronics supply-chain problem rather than facing an isolated increase in manufacturing costs.
Manufacturers Have Limited Options
TV brands have several ways to respond to higher memory costs, but each comes with trade-offs.
They can raise prices, reduce promotional discounts, negotiate harder with component suppliers, reduce memory specifications or absorb some of the increase through lower margins.
Possible Manufacturer Strategies
| Strategy | Advantage | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Raise retail prices | Protects margins | Can reduce demand |
| Reduce discounts | Protects revenue | Less attractive to consumers |
| Lower RAM/storage | Reduces bill of materials | Can hurt user experience |
| Absorb cost | Maintains prices | Compresses margins |
| Bulk procurement | May secure supply | Requires working capital |
| Shift product mix | Protects profitability | May reduce budget options |
The most likely outcome will vary by brand and product segment.
Budget brands with thinner margins are generally more exposed because they have less ability to absorb component-cost increases.
The Memory Shortage Could Last Beyond 2026
The supply problem may not disappear quickly.
Recent industry reporting suggests that AI-related demand is consuming a large share of global DRAM production, while additional manufacturing capacity takes years to develop. Some forecasts now warn that memory and storage shortages could persist into 2027 and beyond.
This creates a potential structural challenge for television manufacturers.
If memory prices remain elevated, brands may need to redesign products around lower-cost memory configurations or accept a permanently higher component cost.
| Possible Timeline | Potential Market Impact |
|---|---|
| Rest of 2026 | Continued pricing pressure |
| Festive 2026 | Higher budget-TV costs possible |
| 2027 | Depends on memory supply expansion |
| Longer term | New capacity could ease supply |
| AI demand remains strong | Consumer memory remains under pressure |
The eventual outcome will depend heavily on how quickly memory manufacturers expand production and whether AI infrastructure spending continues at its current pace.
The Bigger Picture
Rising RAM prices are creating a new challenge for India’s television industry at a particularly important time of year. Budget 32-inch and 43-inch smart TVs are likely to feel the strongest impact because memory represents a larger proportion of their total cost. Industry estimates suggest that memory costs can add 20%–25% to the price of smaller TVs, compared with an impact of below 5% for larger screens.
The problem is part of a much wider electronics supply-chain shift driven by AI infrastructure. Memory manufacturers are prioritizing high-margin data-center products, while consumer-device makers face tighter supplies and higher prices. With smartphones, laptops and other electronics already experiencing similar pressures, television buyers may face a broader period of elevated hardware prices rather than a temporary TV-specific increase.
Looking Ahead
For Indian TV buyers, the most important question will be whether manufacturers pass the full increase in memory costs to consumers or absorb part of it through lower margins and reduced promotional discounts. Budget buyers may face the greatest pressure, while premium-TV customers could see a smaller direct impact because memory represents a smaller share of the total product cost. The upcoming festive season will provide an important test of how brands balance pricing, inventory and demand.
Longer term, the television market will remain closely tied to the global semiconductor cycle. If AI data-center demand continues absorbing large amounts of memory capacity, consumer-electronics companies could face elevated component costs well into 2027. For manufacturers, the response may include changing memory configurations, redesigning products and negotiating longer-term supply agreements, while consumers may increasingly have to choose between paying more, buying smaller screens or delaying upgrades.
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