Why the RAM shortage is making electronics more expensive

Why the RAM shortage is making electronics more expensive

The memory inside computers and phones has become much more expensive. Manufacturers softened the first impact by using parts they bought earlier at lower prices, but those supplies are being replaced at today's higher costs. New industry guidance says the shortage may remain tight beyond 2027.

The short version

Every computer and smartphone needs a part called DRAM. Most people know it simply as RAM or memory. It is the fast, temporary workspace a device uses while apps and programs are running.

The price of that memory has gone up sharply. The increase does not always appear on store shelves immediately because manufacturers plan and buy parts months in advance. Many also keep extra parts on hand and have warehouses full of finished products that were built using memory purchased at older, lower prices.

Those older supplies are now being used up. When a company replaces them, it must pay today's higher price.

1. A manufacturer buys memory and other parts in advance.
2. It builds those parts into computers, phones, and other products.
3. Those products are sold over the following months.
4. The less expensive parts eventually run out.
5. New parts cost more, so the next products cost more to build.

The manufacturer then has a few choices: raise the price, include less memory, offer fewer discounts, accept a smaller profit, or combine several of those options.

What has changed since this article was published

Micron, one of the world's largest memory manufacturers, has now given a clearer warning about how long the shortage may last. The company says memory supply is likely to remain tight beyond 2027, with additional production improving the situation only gradually in 2028. In August, a Micron executive said the company still could not see when supply would fully catch up with demand.

Market researcher TrendForce also expects memory prices to keep rising during the third quarter of 2026. The increases are slowing because computer and phone makers are reaching the limit of what their customers can afford, not because the shortage has ended.

That does not mean every computer, phone, or storage drive will rise by the same amount. It means manufacturers are likely to keep responding with some combination of higher prices, less memory in base models, fewer discounts, delayed orders, and limited availability.

Apple shows how this reaches ordinary shoppers

Apple is one of the largest buyers of electronic parts in the world. Even Apple cannot avoid the change.

In its latest financial report, Apple listed about $11.1 billion in total inventory, nearly twice as much as it held a year earlier. That inventory includes many kinds of parts and finished products, not just memory. During Apple's earnings call, company leaders explained that memory purchased earlier was helping soften today's higher costs, but that protection would become smaller after September.

Apple has already raised prices on some Macs and iPads. It has not announced a broad iPhone price increase, but its warning is clear: the cheaper supply already in warehouses and finished products will not last forever.

The same basic problem applies to Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, and other electronics companies. Each has different contracts and stockpiles, so prices will not change everywhere on the same day. They are all buying from the same tight memory market.

This affects much more than desktop computers

DRAM is used in products that need to run software quickly. That includes:

• Windows computers and Macs
• iPhones and Android phones
• tablets and game systems
• servers and business equipment
• smart televisions and network devices
• many newer cars and appliances

A higher DRAM cost does not guarantee that every product will receive the same price increase. Memory is only one part of a device's total cost. It does mean that almost every company making modern electronics is under the same pressure.

The effect may appear as a higher price. It may also appear as a base model with less memory, a popular configuration that is difficult to find, a shorter sale, or a delayed order.

Why the supply is tight

Large data centers are buying enormous amounts of memory. Artificial intelligence is one reason for that demand, but arguing about who deserves blame does not help someone who needs a computer.

The useful fact is simpler: memory factories have limited capacity. Manufacturers are putting more of that capacity into the high-bandwidth and server memory purchased by data centers. That leaves less capacity for the ordinary DRAM and storage used in consumer electronics. New factories take years and billions of dollars to build, so supply cannot increase quickly.

That is why the older, cheaper inventory matters. It has delayed some price increases, but it cannot prevent them indefinitely.

What should you do?

Do not panic and do not replace a computer that still meets your needs. A good computer may have years of useful life left. If it is slow, find out whether it needs more memory, a larger solid-state drive, cleanup, or an actual replacement.

If you already expect to buy a computer within the next year, start comparing choices before the old one fails. Prices may continue to move, and waiting for an emergency removes your ability to shop carefully.

• Choose at least 16 GB of memory for a normal new Windows computer. That is a reasonable starting point for web browsing, email, Microsoft 365, video calls, and everyday use.
• Consider 32 GB if you keep computers for many years. It is also helpful for large spreadsheets, accounting programs, photo work, technical software, and heavy multitasking.
• Be cautious with 8 GB models. Eight gigabytes may handle very light use, but it leaves less room for future programs and updates.
• Ask whether the memory can be upgraded. Memory is permanently attached inside many Macs, thin laptops, and inexpensive computers. What you buy is what the machine will have for life.
• Compare the complete computer, not just one part. A ready-made computer may cost less than buying separate components when memory prices are unusually high.

Small businesses should plan before something breaks

Make a simple list of company computers, their ages, and which employees would be unable to work if a machine failed. Replace unsupported or unreliable computers first. Upgrade machines that are still dependable and can be improved at a sensible cost.

A planned purchase can be compared and budgeted. An emergency purchase usually means taking whatever is available at whatever it costs.

The bottom line

Electronics companies built today's products with parts purchased in the past. Those less expensive parts and finished products are being sold and used up. The replacements cost more.

The updated evidence indicates that this pressure is unlikely to disappear within a few months. That does not mean every device price will jump overnight. It means higher prices, smaller discounts, reduced memory, and limited availability are likely to continue as newer inventory reaches stores.

Buy when you have a real need, choose enough memory for the years you expect to keep the device, and avoid waiting until a failing computer turns the decision into an emergency.

Sources and further reading

• Apple: third-quarter 2026 results
• Associated Press: Apple earnings and memory-related price pressure
• Tom's Hardware: Apple's inventory and memory-cost comments
• Micron fiscal Q3 2026 Form 10-Q excerpt
• PC Gamer: Micron says it cannot yet see when supply will catch demand
• TrendForce: third-quarter 2026 memory price forecast
• Axios: why higher memory costs are lasting longer
• Framework: memory and storage pricing updates