Global memory chip shortage sends PC prices soaring
A global memory chip shortage has driven up prices for personal computers, smartphones, and consumer electronics, as manufacturers prioritize artificial intelligence applications.
TrendForce forecasts conventional DRAM contract prices will surge 55% to 60% in the first quarter of 2026, following a 45% to 50% increase in Q4 2025. This increase stems from Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology redirecting wafer capacity to high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips for AI accelerators. Micron’s Chief Business Officer Sumit Sadana said, “We’re sold out for 2026.” Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra warned that tight industry conditions in DRAM and NAND flash memory will “persist through and beyond” 2026.
HBM uses approximately three times as much wafer space as standard DDR5 due to larger chip sizes and lower production yields, according to IDC analysts. Profit margins on advanced server-grade modules reach up to 75%.
Dell Technologies COO Jeff Clarke stated that the company has “never seen costs move at the rate” they are currently rising. Lenovo notified customers that all pricing would expire on January 1, 2026, and began stockpiling memory components. Framework, the modular PC maker, has raised prices multiple times; its 128GB desktop configuration increased from $1,999 to $2,459. Framework CEO Nirav Patel wrote that “the memory outlook as we enter 2026 continues to get worse.”
Taiwanese memory packaging and testing firms, including Powertech, Huatong, and ChipMOS, have raised service prices by up to 30%, operating near full capacity. Mainstream PC memory and storage costs rose 40% to 70% between Q1 and Q4 2025, according to Omdia.
The International Data Corporation (IDC) warns that PC shipments could shrink by up to 9% in 2026 under pessimistic scenarios, with average selling prices rising 6% to 8%. Consumer device prices could rise up to 20%. SK Hynix announced plans to invest $13 billion in a new advanced packaging plant for AI memory, with construction beginning in April, though new production capacity will not arrive until 2027. Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at IDC, said, “Memory shortages are affecting the entire industry, and the impact will likely reshape market dynamics over the next two years. The severity of the shortage raises the risk that smaller brands may not survive.”