Prices Surge as Supplies Tighten (Image Credits: Pixabay)
The surge in artificial intelligence infrastructure has triggered a severe shortage of dynamic random-access memory, or DRAM, rippling through the market for laptops, smartphones, gaming devices, and more.
Prices Surge as Supplies Tighten
Desktop PC enthusiasts felt the pinch first when standalone RAM kits quadrupled in price within months. A 32 GB kit from Crucial, which sold for about $70 in July, reached $324 by early 2026, according to price trackers.camelcamelcamel.com
Modular laptop maker Framework adjusted its memory options multiple times, adding $90 to the cost of an 8 GB configuration since September. The Raspberry Pi 5 with 16 GB jumped from $120 to $205 after December. Gaming handhelds faced similar pressures: Valve phased out its LCD Steam Deck model, pushing the entry price to $549 for the OLED version. CyberPower increased prices on all desktop systems post-Black Friday, while Xiaomi hiked tablet costs by $14 to $42 and its flagship phone by roughly $76.
- Major PC brands like Lenovo, Dell, HP, Acer, and Asus announced 15% to 20% increases ahead, per IDC analysis.
- Dell corporate listings showed $130 to $230 jumps for 32 GB laptops.
- Rumors suggest Nintendo may raise Switch 2 prices.
New Launches Face Indefinite Postponements
Gaming hardware makers paused ambitious projects amid the crunch. Valve shelved its Steam Machine desktop and Steam Frame VR headset, withholding pricing details until supplies stabilize.
Sony weighed pushing its next PlayStation to 2028 or later, sources indicated to Bloomberg. Nvidia, a GPU leader, held back 2026 gaming cards entirely – the first such gap in three decades – according to The Information. These delays stemmed directly from memory constraints tied to AI priorities.
Shelves Empty as Products Vanish
Popular devices flickered in and out of availability. Valve warned of intermittent stock issues for the Steam Deck OLED due to RAM and storage gaps.
Intel abandoned its anticipated Arc B770 graphics card, with shortages cited as a key factor. In the digital audio player niche, HiBy Digital halted pre-orders for its newest model last December. These cancellations highlighted how even niche markets suffered from the supply shift.
Specifications Downgrade to Cut Costs
Manufacturers eyed reduced memory as a workaround. TrendForce forecasted entry-level phones dropping to 4 GB RAM and laptops reverting to 8 GB baselines.
This rollback aimed to avoid steeper price tags while meeting demand, though it risked curbing performance in budget segments.
Outlook: Stockpiles and Workarounds Emerge
Larger players positioned themselves better. Apple secured advance contracts for iPhones and other lines, buying time against rivals. Lenovo stockpiled DRAM to cushion impacts.
Acer explored lesser-known suppliers bypassing the AI-focused giants – Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix, which dominate production. Still, even Samsung denied extra chips to its mobile division, signaling broad challenges ahead. The shortage, projected to linger until 2028, forced electronics firms to rethink strategies.
Key Takeaways
- Three firms control most DRAM, prioritizing AI over consumer needs.
- Impacts span price hikes up to 400%, delays into 2028, and canceled products.
- Stockpiling and alternative sources offer limited relief for now.
Consumers face higher costs and fewer choices as AI’s appetite reshapes hardware availability – what adjustments will shape the market next? Share your thoughts in the comments.