Analysts Say Global RAM Shortage Will Extend Into Next Year

If you thought 2025 was a tough year for hardware, 2026 doesn't look much better, and the outlook ahead isn't encouraging either. According to a recent report by Nikkei Asia examining the memory market in East Asia, the shortage of memory chips is expected to persist into next year and likely extend even further.

Nikkei says the production would need to increase by around 12% annually through the end of 2027 to keep up with demand, but the industry is currently achieving only about 7.5% growth. Leading U.S. and South Korean suppliers are expected to expand DRAM output at a rate that covers only about 60% of total demand.

New factories are being built, but not all of them are expected to reach full production until at least 2027. On top of that, instability in the Middle East is pushing up the cost of electricity and raw materials, adding even more uncertainty to production forecasts. As things stand, the supply and demand balance for memory chips isn't expected to fully stabilize until 2028 or even 2030.

Unfortunately, we're continuing to see the impact of this crisis in everyday tech, with everything from phones to PCs going up in price. It all started with Micron prioritizing RAM supply for AI companies, alongside a broader industry shift where manufacturers are focusing more on AI-driven demand. As a result, some RAM options have become so expensive that they now cost more than modern GPUs.

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