Some Chinese smartphone makers are reportedly recovering DRAM chips from used phones that are five to six years old and installing them in new models, an unusual cost-cutting measure as the global memory market tightens under demand from AI infrastructure.
According to South Korean outlet Chosun Biz, the chips are removed from second-hand handsets, tested and soldered onto the motherboards of new devices. The goal is to curb manufacturing costs and limit the risk of lower smartphone shipments. Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei electronics market has reportedly become one center for the activity, with some brands considering recycled memory for entry-level phones.
The supply pressure has made older DRAM unusually expensive: some legacy memory types reportedly cost more per unit of chip area than silicon made on TSMC’s advanced 2nm N2 process. Smartphone vendors are competing for available inventory while AI data-center demand absorbs memory supply.
The squeeze extends beyond phones. Lenovo, HP and Dell are said to be pursuing long-term agreements to secure memory supplies through 2027. The report does not identify the smartphone brands involved or say which upcoming models may use recovered DRAM.
