Summary
- Samsung and SK hynix are prioritizing Lenovo, Dell, Apple, and Asus for DRAM allocation, according to a recent report.
- Memory makers favor AI data centers and short-term, higher-priced deals, squeezing smaller PC vendors.
- The RAM shortage will likely last well into 2026 - 2027.
As the ongoing DRAM apocalypse continues, a new report indicates that only four PC manufacturers are getting top-billing from RAM suppliers.
According to DigiTimes, memory producers like Samsung and SK hynix are primarily supplying DRAM to well-known, mainstream players in the PC industry, with Lenovo, Dell, Asus, and Apple being the key PC makers benefiting from this strategy shift. While this is great news for larger OEMs, it's creating major difficulties for smaller vendors.
The report goes on to state that, given the limited memory capacity on hand, Samsung and SK hynix are no longer signing long-term contracts with PC makers and are instead forging shorter-term agreements with pricing that capitalizes on the ongoing memory shortage. Apple reportedly has exclusive relationships with Samsung and SK hynix, while Asus and Lenovo get priority from Samsung.
The ongoing RAM shortage will likely "persist well into 2027"
RAM-heavy AI PCs and budget smartphones will cost more next year, says a new report.
The RAM crisis shows no signs of slowing down
Other areas of the tech industry are starting to be hit
Over the past few months, the price of RAM has grown significantly, with the industry's biggest manufacturers, including Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron, and more, allocating the bulk of their resources to AI data centers (Micron even closed its consumer-focused Crucial brand entirely).
The RAM shortage is starting to affect more PC hardware components and other sectors of the tech industry. For example, HDD prices have started to spike, and Nvidia will reportedly cut GPU production by as much as 40% in 2026. Adding to this, recent analysis from the International Data Corporation (IDC) states that the memory shortage will likely continue "well into 2026." Finally, there are also rumors that the PlayStation 6 and Microsoft's next Xbox console will be delayed amid the RAM shortage.
