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| The South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix expects the memory crisis to persist until 2028. |
If you've shopped for a new laptop recently, you might have felt a sense of déjà vu. The specs, particularly the memory, look like something from five years ago. That's not a mistake. A severe and deepening memory shortage, largely fueled by the insatiable appetite of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, is now hitting consumers directly, limiting choices and driving up prices.
Manufacturers are making hard choices. Tech commentator BullsLab Jay recently highlighted that major PC makers like Dell and Lenovo are reportedly limiting many mid-range laptops to just 8 GB of soldered RAM. This decision, once unthinkable for performance machines, is a direct result of the scramble for DDR5 memory modules. On the higher end, the situation is just as stark: a 32 GB kit (2 x 16 GB) of Crucial Pro DDR5 RAM is currently selling for around $390 on Amazon, a price that reflects the severe market strain.
The ripple effects are wide. The long-anticipated Steam Machine, Valve's foray into the handheld PC arena with a new iteration, could reportedly face significant delays or even launch only as a barebone system due to the inability to secure enough memory at viable costs.
A Bleak Forecast from the Inside
While many in the industry hope for a swift market correction, one memory giant is painting a far more pessimistic picture. According to internal analysis from SK Hynix, the world's second-largest memory chip maker, this DRAM shortage is not a short-term blip.
As detailed in a post by tech analyst BullsLab Jay on X, SK Hynix reportedly sees the structural DRAM shortage persisting until at least 2028.
SK Hynix internal analysis
— BullsLab Jay (@BullsLab) December 10, 2025
▪ Supply
Excluding HBM and SOCAMM, supply bit growth for commodity DRAM is projected to be constrained through 2028.
▪ Production & Inventory
While supplier inventories are being depleted to minimum levels, production Capacity is expected to see… pic.twitter.com/ITa21oKSrR
The primary reason is a fundamental mismatch between soaring demand and painfully slow supply expansion. Building new semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) is a multi-year, multi-billion dollar endeavor. New DRAM production facilities are not expected to come online and deliver meaningful volumes to the market before 2028.
On the demand side, the pressures are only intensifying:
- AI Data Centers: AI servers consume exponentially more memory than traditional servers, and this segment is claiming a growing share of total DRAM output.
- The "AI PC" Revolution: The new wave of laptops and desktops with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs) require more RAM to run AI models locally, pushing the average memory requirement per PC upward.
Given this imbalance, SK Hynix's internal projection suggests the DRAM market is unlikely to find a stable equilibrium before the end of the decade.
A Glimmer of Hope?
It's crucial to note that this is one assessment, not a universal decree. More optimistic voices exist within the industry. Edward Crisler, PR manager at component maker Sapphire, has suggested that DDR5 prices could potentially normalize within six to eight months, provided consumers avoid panic buying that exacerbates the shortage.
The coming months will be a test of patience for everyone—from gamers and professionals wanting well-specced machines to companies trying to build the next big thing. One thing is clear: the AI boom's side effects are now firmly felt in the consumer aisle, and your next computer upgrade may come with a tough choice and a higher price tag.
For the latest tech industry analysis and component news, follow discussions from sources like BullsLab on X. To check current memory prices, you can view kits like the Crucial Pro DDR5 on Amazon.