Past learnings from NAND and CPU shortages
Predictions for 2026
Memory Shortages & their impact on PCs
What are the reasons for upcoming memory shortages and subsequent price hikes?
With explosion of demand for AI, capacities in fabs get shifted to high-bandwidth memory and advanced DRAM. CPUs are impacted to a lesser extent with manufacturers prioritizing high-performance CPUs.
→ Limited production capacities for mainstream PC memory and chips
→ Price hikes already observed and expected to accelerate for CPUs, NAND and DRAM. Therefore, all major PC manufacturers plan to increase prices for PCs and servers.
→ The shortages will for sure continue in 2026 with some sources expecting normalization even later (2027/2028 for DRAM, up to a decade for NAND)
Which strategies are in place resp. planned to mitigate upcoming shortages?
Component Manufacturers:
DRAM:
− New Fabs planned, especially by SK Hynix. However, it will take time until they will be up and running.
− New players from China aim to fill the gap, but face challenges due to US Sanctions
CPUs:
− Ramp up of production
− Cooperation with PC vendors to shift to CPUs with higher availabilities
PC Vendors:
− Stockpiling of items, increasing inventories
− Purchase Limits per customer (DRAM)
− Change in sourcing with additional suppliers for memory
What do the shortages mean for PC manufacturers and consumers?
Pricing Pressure:
− PC Prices are expected to increase in 2026
Adjustment of Specs
− More entry-level and mid-tier PCs will ship with reduced RAM and SSD capacity.
Supply Chain Impact:
− Longer lead times, availability constraints and potentially additional partners will require proactive inventory planning.
Strategic Actions required:
− Secure long-term contracts for memory and CPUs.
− Diversify suppliers and optimize product mix
− Optimize demand and inventory planning
Decreasing average prices per PC Configuration
Until end of 2025, no price turnaround visible – both in Point of Sales and Distribution
Look into previous instances of shortages
(NAND) Memory
A history of Memory (NAND) shortages: Demand and pricing for SSDs
Increasing price per GB led to slow down of SSD adoption for PCs
NAND Shortages 2017: Price surges and slow down of SSD adoption
Look into previous instances of shortages
CPUs
