Google says Pixel 11 will cost more because RAM costs sextupled in a year

Google confirms Pixel 11 prices are rising due to a RAM shortage, with leaks pointing to a $100 hike and less RAM on the entry Pro model.

By Farzan Hussain

Updated on July 25, 2026 EDT

Fact checked by Steven

Google just told us straight up that the Pixel 11 will cost more. And no, this is neither a leak nor a rumor. It’s an official statement.

Google, in an interview, confirmed to 9to5Google that pricing across the entire Pixel lineup, including the upcoming Pixel 11 series, will increase because of what Vice President of Devices and Services Shakil Barkat called a severe, supplier-driven RAM crisis. The exact prices will obviously be disclosed at Google’s August 12 official launch event, but the pricing structure is already set.

Why RAM suddenly costs six times more

Barkat pointed to Morgan Stanley data showing 1GB of RAM cost $2.80 in 2025. That same gigabyte costs $12 now, close to a sixfold jump in a single year. He called it an increase the industry has never dealt with.

Google shielded buyers from supply swings for as long as it could, he said, but the economics shifted under everyone at once. Samsung is fighting the same squeeze on its own lineup, so this one didn’t start with Google.

What leaked Pixel 11 Pro specs already show

Leaks suggest the entry Pixel 11 Pro drops from 16GB of RAM to 12GB, with 16GB possibly surviving only on pricier storage tiers. Both the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro are rumored to start around $100 higher, with the base Pixel 11 reportedly landing near $899 instead of last year’s $799.

Base storage doubling to 256GB takes some of the sting out of that. The Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold reportedly just get the flat $100 increase, no storage bump to cushion it.

Will phones you can already buy get more expensive too?

Google said the disruption reaches phones already on shelves, without naming which ones. The Pixel 10a is the obvious candidate. It’s not even halfway through its usual life cycle as Google’s budget option. The company isn’t saying when current prices might push further, so if you’ve been putting off a purchase, waiting could cost you more than acting now would.

Trade-in offers, promotions, and perks like Google One aren’t going anywhere, according to Barkat. Google is also working on a separate track, which in itself is an interesting move: optimizing Android itself so it will need less RAM to run well.

That second part might help down the road. Still, however, it doesn’t change what’s coming next month.