According to Nikkei Asia, even as suppliers ramp up DRAM production, manufacturers are only expected to meet 60 percent of demand by the end of 2027. SK Group chairman has even said that shortages could last until 2030.
The world’s largest memory makers — Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron — are all working to add new fabrication capacity, but almost none of it will be online until at least 2027, if not 2028. SK opened a fab in Cheongju in February, but that is the only increase in production among the three for 2026.
Nikkei says that production would need to increase by 12 percent a year in 2026 and 2027 to meet demand. But according to Counterpoint Research, an increase of only 7.5 percent is planned.
The new facilities will primarily focus on producing high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is used in AI data centers. With the companies already prioritizing HBM over general-purpose DRAM used in computers and phones, it’s not clear how much these new fabs will help alleviate the price crunch facing consumer electronics. Everything from phones and laptops, to VR headsets and gaming handhelds have seen price increases due to the RAM shortage.
[ad_2]
Source link
More on the ram shortage could last years
Stay tuned for updates on the ram shortage could last years as the story develops. Related: Prepare for Apple iPhone, iPad, and Mac prices to rise very soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to Nikkei Asia, even as suppliers ramp up DRAM production, manufacturers are only expected to meet 60 percent of demand by the end of 2027. The SK Group chairman has even said shortages could last until 2030.
The world's largest memory makers, Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron, are all adding new fabrication capacity, but almost none of it will be online until at least 2027, if not 2028. SK opened a fab in Cheongju in February, the only production increase among the three for 2026.
The new facilities will primarily focus on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI data centers. With companies already prioritizing HBM over general-purpose DRAM used in computers and phones, it is not clear how much the new fabs will help the price crunch facing consumer electronics.
Everything from phones and laptops to VR headsets and gaming handhelds has seen price increases. Nikkei says production would need to increase 12 percent a year in 2026 and 2027 to meet demand, but only a 7.5 percent increase is planned, according to Counterpoint Research.
