[REVISION HISTORY]

AI-driven memory shortage intensifies through 2028

Updated 24 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-18 04:41 UTC → 2026-08-25 14:58 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The AI-driven shortage of DRAM, HBM, and NAND is intensifying. Samsung Electronics has warned that the RAM shortage will worsen in 2027 and remain severe through at least 2028, as the shift toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI data centers reduces the supply of standard DRAM for consumer devices. ~~In Hong Kong, 16 GB~~ Recent reports indicate RAM prices have surged ~~from HK$300–400 to approximately HK$1,500.~~ by 500%, with capacity for 2026 and 2027 already sold out. Driven by generative AI expansion and global conflicts, some projections suggest inflated RAM and SSD prices may persist until 2030. This supply tightening is squeezing manufacturer margins and raising consumer costs. Samsung’s Mobile Experience (MX) division ~~reported its first operating loss since 2011 in Q2 2026, citing soaring component costs. Analysts note that~~ faces significant financial challenges; despite strong ~~sales of the~~ Galaxy S26 ~~series, the division faces significant financial challenges. Projections for the division's performance vary widely, with some estimates suggesting a loss~~ sales, analysts project potential quarterly losses of up to 1.5 trillion won ($1.09 billion), which would surpass the financial impact of the Galaxy Note 7 battery crisis. A primary driver is the sharp increase in memory component costs; for instance, the cost of RAM in an $800 smartphone has ~~reportedly~~ risen from 14% to 23% of the total cost. To maintain ~~consumer~~ interest, retailers have begun offering discounts on the Galaxy S26. ~~Additionally, Qualcomm announced double-digit~~ Technological innovation continues alongside these price ~~increases for Snapdragon mobile processors effective 1 September 2026,~~ hikes. In high-performance memory, Colorful demonstrated a ~~move expected to lift costs for Android smartphone makers. Consumer hardware remains heavily impacted. While technological advancements like~~ 48 GB DDR5 kit using CXMT DRAM chips reaching 9,000 MT/s, while DapuStor introduced a 512 TB enterprise ~~SSDs and high-speed DDR5 kits are emerging,~~ SSD for AI training clusters. However, by August 2026, prices for DDR4/DDR5 RAM, SSDs, and HDDs reached record ~~highs by August 2026.~~ highs. In the gaming sector, 37% of surveyed German gamers have postponed upgrades ~~to graphics cards or consoles~~ due to rising ~~costs. The market remains dominated by Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, who are increasingly prioritizing long-term supply contracts with AI labs over consumer markets.~~ costs, even as companies like Asus launch new hardware like the Xbox Ally X20.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.