Samsung warns that a worsening shortage of RAM memory chips will persist into 2028, driving up costs for electronics as artificial intelligence infrastructure demands prioritize data centers over consumer devices. According to TechCrunch reporting, the tightening market is already pushing consumer hardware prices higher across multiple brands.
Samsung Projects RAM Shortage Through 2028
The global tech market faces a prolonged crunch for essential hardware components. Samsung expects the ongoing shortage of memory chips to worsen next year and persist until at least 2028, according to reporting originating from TechCrunch. The South Korean manufacturer, which produces roughly a third of all memory chips worldwide, indicated during its second-quarter earnings presentation that tight conditions across the market will not only continue through 2027 but deepen further.
To secure future supplies, leading players in artificial intelligence have begun sharing their medium- and long-term demand forecasts directly with Samsung. This strong demand grants the company the leverage to favor customers willing to sign multi-year contracts. By establishing multi-year predictability, Samsung aims to install new production equipment and boost output without fearing sudden demand drops, steering clear of the dramatic boom-and-bust cycles that historically plagued the memory sector.
Global Smartphone Chipset Shipments Drop 15% in First Half of 2026
Higher Production Costs Hit Smartphones and Tablets
The AI-driven memory chip shortage carries a dual effect for Samsung’s bottom line. While the semiconductor division achieved record-high revenue in the second quarter, profitability for the smartphone and television divisions declined as pricier RAM chips escalated manufacturing costs. To offset these expenditures, Samsung has started passing expenses onto buyers by raising prices on Galaxy smartphones and tablets. However, these hikes have triggered a corresponding dip in consumer demand for those devices.
Industry-wide pressures, colloquially dubbed RAMaggedon,
have rippled across competitors as well. Apple, Samsung’s largest rival, was also forced to increase computer and iPad prices as memory makers shift production capacities toward artificial intelligence data centers at the expense of consumer electronics.
Shoppers hunting for gaming gear, desktop computers, consoles, and laptops are set to absorb higher expenses as component makers redirect their factories. Nvidia is expected to hike prices on consumer graphics cards by 20 to 30 percent, further elevating costs for hardware reliant on specialized memory chips. As long as artificial intelligence developers command primary manufacturing capacity, everyday electronics will remain subject to the broader supply squeeze.
