Samsung’s latest Galaxy A series price increase has landed in the United States, where the company has quietly raised the cost of every 2026 A series phone, from the budget Galaxy A17 5G to the premium mid-range Galaxy A57 5G. For the cheapest model, it is the second hike this year, and it means the phone now costs 35 per cent more than it did at launch. UK prices are unchanged for now, but with the same cost pressures building on both sides of the Atlantic, British buyers should be paying attention.
Galaxy A series price increase: the new US prices in full
The increases were first spotted on Samsung’s US website by Android Authority, and they affect all four 2026 models. Here is how the new starting prices compare:
- Galaxy A57 5G: $599.99, up from $549.99
- Galaxy A37 5G: $489.99, up from $449.99
- Galaxy A27 5G: $379.99, up from $349.99
- Galaxy A17 5G: $269.99, up from $249.99
Higher storage variants have gone up too. The 256GB Galaxy A57 now costs $679.99, up from $609.99, while the 256GB Galaxy A37 has risen from $539.99 to $609.99.
The Galaxy A17 has had the roughest ride. It launched in January at $199.99, rose to $249.99 in August, and now sits at $269.99. That is $70 more than its launch price on a phone that was supposed to be Samsung’s cheapest option in America.
Why Samsung keeps raising prices
Samsung has not given a detailed explanation for this specific round of increases, but the wider cause is no secret. Memory chip prices have surged as AI data centres buy up huge quantities of DRAM, the short-term memory every phone needs. Industry figures cited by Counterpoint Research put DRAM prices up around 70 per cent since early 2025, and analysts at TrendForce estimate memory now accounts for 20 to 30 per cent of the parts cost of a low-end phone, roughly double the share it held in the past.
This is the second Samsung price hike in the United States in a single week. Just days earlier, the company raised most Galaxy S26 configurations by $100, a move we covered in our Galaxy S26 UK price breakdown. Google has been hit by the same pressures, pushing the Pixel 10a up by $100 to $599. The pain is spreading beyond flagships and into the phones ordinary people actually buy.
What it means for UK buyers
So far, the A series increases only show up on Samsung’s US store. UK pricing has not moved. The Galaxy A37 still starts at £399 in Britain, while the Galaxy A57 starts at £529, both unchanged from launch. But the same memory costs apply in Europe, which makes further increases look likely rather than just possible.
There are already warning signs closer to home. Samsung’s Galaxy A18 4G has arrived in Europe at around 100 euros more than the model it replaces, and the company has raised Galaxy S26 prices across several regions including the UK. If you are planning to buy an A series phone in the next few months, the current UK prices may not hold for long.
It is also worth remembering that Samsung’s US list prices are not always what shoppers pay. Retailers such as Amazon have already discounted the new prices, with the Galaxy A17 5G listed at $248.99 and the Galaxy A37 5G at $399.99. UK retailers like Currys, Argos and Amazon UK regularly undercut Samsung’s own store too, so the headline price is only the starting point.
Should you buy now or wait?
If you have been eyeing a Galaxy A57 or A37 in the UK, buying sooner rather than later looks like the sensible move while launch prices still hold. Keep an eye on seasonal sales events, where Samsung’s mid-range phones typically see £50 to £100 discounts, and check trade-in values for your current handset, which can take a meaningful chunk off the price.
For bargain hunters, last year’s Galaxy A56 and A36 remain strong alternatives, and they are getting cheaper as retailers clear stock. And if your budget is tight, it is worth remembering that a price rise on paper does not always mean a worse deal in practice. Shop around, compare the total cost with a SIM plan, and do not assume Samsung’s own store has the best price.
One thing is clear: the era of the genuinely cheap Samsung phone is fading. With memory costs expected to stay high well into next year, the A series may never be as affordable as it once was. For UK buyers, the window to grab these phones at their launch prices could be closing.
