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# Reballed Memory Gains Ground in Budget Smartphones

November 9, 2026 at 11:47 AM

> Recycled memory chips now power 4% of smartphones, with adoption expected to double by 2027 as manufacturers combat rising DRAM costs.

TrendForce reports that reballed memory currently holds a 3–4% penetration rate in the smartphone market. These components are recycled from older devices using a process that melts BGA solder balls to transfer used memory chips onto new hardware modules.

The majority of these recycled parts are 4GB LPDDR4X modules found in 4G smartphones priced under CNY 1,299. While a hobbyist recently used reballing to push SK hynix DDR5-5600 SODIMMs to DDR5-7800 speeds, the practice remains niche for most consumers.

Market analysts expect reballed memory adoption to reach 7–9% by 2027 as DRAM prices are projected to rise in the first quarter of that year. This shift highlights a growing reliance on salvaged hardware to maintain low price points for budget mobile devices.



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