Manufacturers like Samsung are accelerating the development of LPDDR6 memory, but the ongoing RAM supply issues could affect its release date and availability. The new standard is expected to launch in 2026.
According to early reports, LPDDR6 will be significantly more expensive than LPDDR5X. A 12 GB LPDDR6 chip could cost around 70 dollars — about 20% more than its predecessor — which means it will likely be used only in high-end smartphones, at least during its first year on the market.
LPDDR6 Exclusive to Premium Devices
Rumors suggest that only the most powerful and expensive smartphones of 2026 will feature LPDDR6 memory, and it will be available only in configurations of at least 16 GB. There will be no options with lower memory capacities.
The first smartphones equipped with LPDDR6 could appear in the second half of 2026. They are expected to be compatible with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro and MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600 — next-generation chips manufactured using TSMC’s advanced 2-nanometer process.
This move to the 2 nm node, combined with the adoption of LPDDR6, is likely to increase the price of flagship smartphones released in 2026.
The LPDDR6 standard will bring major improvements in both efficiency and performance. Its bandwidth can reach up to 14 Gbps, enabling faster data processing and better performance in AI-driven applications.
Over time, the cost of LPDDR6 is expected to decrease, allowing it to appear in upper mid-range and eventually more affordable smartphones — following a similar path to LPDDR5, which started in premium models before becoming more accessible.
In short, while LPDDR6 promises major performance gains, its high price will initially limit its reach to the most premium smartphones on the market.
