RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The ongoing RAM crisis is projected to continue through 2028
Samsung says memory shortages are expected to worsen in 2027
Deloitte reports the big three RAM manufacturers are anticipated to have a combined capital expenditure that will nearly quadruple between 2024 and 2027
The RAM crisis isn't letting up, with shortages continuing to impact PC hardware manufacturers. Unfortunately, it looks like it may become the new normal.
As reported by TweakTown , Samsung says it expects ongoing memory shortages to worsen in 2027 and continue through 2028. This will directly impact consumers with increasingly high retail prices for RAM kits, game consoles, and pre-built PCs.
Samsung's memory chip executive vice president, Jaejune Kim, said to investors in the latest earnings call: "We believe it will be unlikely to see any increase in incremental supply through 2028. The supply constraints are expected to become even more severe in 2027."
Essentially, that means the price increases we've seen for Sony's PS5 , Microsoft's Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , and, frankly, next-generation consoles will likely face the same consequences of the price hike trend.
The same can be said for Valve's Steam Machine, where Valve previously stated the retail price isn't what it wanted, with suggestions of an initial $750 target. However, the RAM crisis effectively forced Valve's hand, where it couldn't subsidize the Steam Machine the same way it did with the Steam Deck .
(Image credit: Unsplash / Liam Briese)
Unfortunately, it's not just Samsung that forecasts the RAM crisis worsening. Gamesbeat highlights Deloitte's report, which anticipates an increase in the big three's (Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron) combined capital spending to nearly 340% from 2024 to 2027.
However, new supply from that increased spending isn't expected to arrive until 2029 or 2030, so the RAM crisis is seemingly only just getting started. It frankly means Samsung's estimation is rather optimistic, painting a smaller picture of just how bad the memory shortages are.
Manufacturers and consumers are perhaps now at a stage where the RAM crisis may be a new normal, completely shifting the PC hardware market into an unstable condition.
GPU prices have increased over the last few months, with Nvidia introducing older options via the RTX 3060 , and AMD unveiling a new Radeon RX 9050 8GB GPU. Both cases are a strong indication that the market is in its worst state in decades, and there isn't much hope ahead as it stands.
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