DRAM Prices Are Set to Jump. A Stolen Laptop Just Got More Expensive.
Memory is a larger share of what a replacement laptop costs. The data on the stolen one does not get cheaper while you order the new machine.
On June 1, 2026, the Seoul Economic Daily reported TrendForce figures for the memory market. Global DRAM revenue in the first quarter of 2026 was $97 billion, up 81% from the previous quarter. TrendForce projected that general-purpose DRAM contract prices in the second quarter would rise 58% to 63%. That second figure is a projection, not a result already printed for the full quarter.
Replacement cost is the line item people see. The line item that matters more is the data on the device you do not have anymore. A higher bill for the next laptop does not change the fact that the missing one still has mail and files until you wipe it or prove the disk is useless to whoever holds it. Paying more for hardware is a reason to shorten the gap, not a reason to open a ticket and wait for procurement.
What to do while prices are moving
- Do not block a wipe decision on a replacement order. They are different workflows.
- Keep encryption and enrollment on the machines you already own. A rising memory price does not protect an unenrolled disk.
- Re-read the theft prevalence in Kensington's 2025 survey next to this price note. Both can be true: theft is already common, and the next device costs more to buy.
DriveStrike does not change a memory contract. It wipes, locks, and locates the endpoint you enrolled so the data is not sitting in the gap between "stolen" and "replacement delivered." Start a trial or contact Spearstone.
Keep reading
- A Stolen Laptop Plus a Help-Desk Call Is One Incident
- The IMF Says Global Inflation Rises to 4.7% in 2026. Endpoints Are in That Bill.
Questions worth answering directly
Are the Q2 DRAM contract prices a completed result?
No. As reported on June 1, 2026, TrendForce projected a 58% to 63% rise in general-purpose DRAM contract prices for the second quarter. The first-quarter revenue figure, $97 billion and up 81% quarter over quarter, was reported as actual.
Does a higher laptop price change the security response?
It raises the cost of replacement. It does not reduce the need to wipe or lock the missing device. Do the wipe first.