RAM Shortage

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The RAM shortage or RAM crisis started around the end of 2025 as a consequence of AI companies making deals with hardware manufacturers to produce and supply the AI companies with dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). This caused a significant supply shortage and corresponding price increase of DRAM in the consumer market. Prices of other computer components, such as solid-state drives (SSDs) and graphics processing units (GPUs) have also increased, although at a lesser scale.

A screenshot of a graph from PcPartPicker taken on 02-06-2026 showing the price increase of the product Crucial Pro Overclocking 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory

Background

With the release of ChatGPT, OpenAI became the leading pioneer of artificial intelligence. Seeing this, more companies wanted to develop their own AI models and build infrastructure to compete in the AI market. Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix are the main RAM producers for consumers and corporations.

Causes of the shortage

On October 1st 2025, OpenAI signed deals with major memory manufacturers to secure 40% of global RAM production. As of February 2026, RAM prices have tripled compared to October 2025. By late 2026, AI datacenters are expected to take 70% of all RAM usage. It is expected the RAM shortage could last until 2028.

Corporate response

Micron

Main article: Exit of Crucial from consumer business

Micron has exited the consumer RAM market to focus resources toward manufacturing RAM to supply AI data centers.

Samsung

Samsung has promised to continue selling SSDs despite rumors that it had plans to leave the consumer market.

Consequences

The shortage of DRAM has already affected personal computing, with consequences like:

• Samsung and SK Hynix have increased RAM prices due to slowed production and less competition from Micron.
• The DRAM price increase has also increased the price to purchase a whole new computer, making computers a less accessible product for a regular consumer.
• Some manufacturers selling their computers without DRAM included. One notable example is Maingear, who has started their own BYO (bring your own) RAM program.
• Consumers resorting to buying DDR4 , and even DDR3, to avoid higher prices.
  

Consumer response

The RAM shortage has caused outrage amongst consumers, talking about how manufacturers are prioritizing the profits of the AI market and ignoring regular consumers. Lots of content on social media has been posted talking about the topic and its negative impact on personal computing, for example by highlighting the potential fulfillment of Jeff Bezos' desire for consumers to rent computing power from the cloud; taking away ownership, and increasingly by making several YouTube videos stating how this will impact the future of home computing.