RAM Shortage Looms for Years, Experts Warn

The world’s largest memory manufacturers are scrambling to keep up with growing demand, but despite efforts to ramp up production, a persistent shortage is expected to last until 2030, according to industry insiders and analysts. Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, the dominant players in the global RAM market, have all announced plans to expand their fabrication capacity, but the timeline for these projects has been pushed back due to ongoing supply chain issues and technical challenges. The companies’ efforts will only partially alleviate the shortage, with Nikkei Asia estimating that they will only be able to meet around 60 percent of demand by the end of 2027. This means that manufacturers will have to rely on alternative suppliers or negotiate higher prices for RAM to meet their requirements. To make matters worse, production needs to increase by as much as 12 percent annually in 2026 and 2027 to keep pace with demand, a daunting task given the current constraints. The lack of new capacity is putting pressure on existing plants, leading to potential delays and further exacerbating the shortage. The situation has significant implications for industries that rely heavily on RAM, including gaming, AI, and cloud computing. As the technology landscape continues to evolve, manufacturers will need to navigate these challenges to ensure they can meet customer demands without compromising performance or reliability.