Samsung and Google are raising prices on their budget phones

Title: Samsung And Google Are Raising Prices On Their Budget Phones

URL Source: https://www.engadget.com/2276208/samsung-and-google-are-raising-prices-on-their-budget-phones/

Published Time: 2026-10-02T19:36:31+00:00

Markdown Content:

A Galaxy A17 5G costs $70 more than it did at launch and a Pixel 10a costs $100 more.


Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Both Samsung and Google are increasing the starting price of their budget phones, likely due to[the RAM crisis](https://www.engadget.com/2236799/why-ram-prices-so-high/) that seemingly no tech company is able to escape. The Pixel 10a now costs $100 more, according to [_9to5Google_](https://9to5google.com/2026/10/02/google-pixel-10a-price-hike/), while [_Android Authority_](https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-galaxy-a-series-phones-price-hike-3718522/) writes that Samsung has bumped up prices across its entire Galaxy A lineup, the second price hike [the company has made this week](https://www.engadget.com/2274612/samsung-suddenly-jacks-up-the-prices-of-galaxy-s26-phones/).

As part of the price increases, the [Galaxy A17 5G](https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-a17-5g-review-a-respectable-and-affordable-android-option-190000154.html) jumped from $200 to [$270](https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-a17-5g/buy/galaxy-a17-5g-128gb-unlocked-sku-sm-a176uzkaxaa/?CID=afl-ecomm-rkt-cha-040122-url_Skimlinks.com&rktevent=Skimlinks.com_TnL5HPStwNw-naWBPZV5a_lqyZFs2M.BxA&ranMID=47773&ranEAID=TnL5HPStwNw&ranSiteID=TnL5HPStwNw-naWBPZV5a_lqyZFs2M.BxA) (the phone received an earlier price hike in August), the [Galaxy A27 5G](https://www.engadget.com/2201668/samsung-s-latest-budget-phone-has-mild-upgrades-and-a-50-price-hike/) jumped from $350 to [$380](https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-a27-5g/buy/galaxy-a27-5g-128gb-unlocked-sku-sm-a276uzkaxaa/?CID=afl-ecomm-rkt-cha-040122-url_Skimlinks.com&rktevent=Skimlinks.com_TnL5HPStwNw-E3CStBB9cv_5V0AXIwmwUg&ranMID=47773&ranEAID=TnL5HPStwNw&ranSiteID=TnL5HPStwNw-E3CStBB9cv_5V0AXIwmwUg), the [Galaxy A37 5G](https://www.engadget.com/2164208/samsung-galaxy-a37-5g-review/) jumped from $450 to [$490](https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-a37-5g/buy/galaxy-a37-5g-128gb-unlocked-sku-sm-a376uzaaxaa/?CID=afl-ecomm-rkt-cha-040122-url_Skimlinks.com&rktevent=Skimlinks.com_TnL5HPStwNw-j0L6f5osB758X8PEn8sp7w&ranMID=47773&ranEAID=TnL5HPStwNw&ranSiteID=TnL5HPStwNw-j0L6f5osB758X8PEn8sp7w) and the [Galaxy A57 5G](https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-a37-and-a57-hands-on-the-cheaper-phone-might-be-a-winner-120000965.html) jumped from $550 to [$600](https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-a57-5g/buy/galaxy-a57-5g-128gb-unlocked-sku-sm-a576udbaxaa/?CID=afl-ecomm-rkt-cha-040122-url_Skimlinks.com&rktevent=Skimlinks.com_TnL5HPStwNw-YGoaTtfs4x1nveh8jTuoxw&ranMID=47773&ranEAID=TnL5HPStwNw&ranSiteID=TnL5HPStwNw-YGoaTtfs4x1nveh8jTuoxw). All told, Samsung's A series phones cost anywhere from $30 to $70 more than they did previously.

Google started selling the [Pixel 10a](https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-pixel-10a-review-small-changes-but-still-great-value-173026779.html) for $499 in March, but with the $100 increase it'll now cost $599. That price is still on the cheaper end of things for a Pixel, but not quite the deal it was before. [_MobileSyrup_](https://mobilesyrup.com/2026/10/02/google-pixel-10a-prce-increase-canada) writes that the changes are even more extreme in Canada, where the phone launched for $679 and now costs $849.

It would be one thing if these were temporary changes, but it's very likely the next version of these budget phones will launch for a similarly inflated price. That's because the best-case scenario is that the RAM shortage[improves in a year](https://wccftech.com/ex-samsung-chip-boss-says-chinas-dram-blitz-could-crush-the-414-ddr5-price-spike-within-a-year/) thanks to an increase in Chinese RAM production. The more pessimistic outlook is that we'll be dealing with higher RAM prices[through 2030](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20260317/sk-chair-warns-global-memory-shortage-may-last-through-2030). For anyone eyeing an affordable phone, buying used increasingly seems like the only option.