Nvidia weighs low‑bandwidth memory and SSD‑VRAM options amid chip shortage

Nvidia is considering using lower‑bandwidth memory modules as a response to the current DRAM shortage, a move that could impact major memory manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix and alter pricing dynamics for PC and AI hardware.

At the same time, rumors indicate Nvidia may enable SSDs to function as supplemental VRAM through its RTX IO and DirectStorage technologies, allowing graphics cards with limited native memory to run demanding games and AI workloads. Both strategies aim to mitigate supply constraints and extend the usefulness of existing GPUs, though potential performance and efficiency trade‑offs remain uncertain.