DRAM crisis may last until 2028 – SK Hynix sees no quick recovery
The memory crisis, largely driven by surging demand from AI data centers, is reportedly intensifying – Samsung has allegedly doubled contract prices for DDR5 RAM, while manufacturers such as Dell and Lenovo are said to be limiting mid-range laptops to just 8 GB of memory. The long-anticipated Steam Machine could face delays or launch only as a barebone system due to the shortage. While many are hoping for a swift resolution, SK Hynix paints a far more pessimistic picture of what lies ahead.
SK Hynix reportedly sees the DRAM shortage lasting until at least 2028 – according to excerpts from internal analyses shared by tech commentator BullsLab Jay on X.
The primary reason behind this bleak outlook is the slow pace of capacity expansion – new DRAM fabs are not expected to deliver meaningful volumes before 2028. At the same time, demand continues to rise: AI servers are consuming a growing share of output, while average RAM requirements for PCs are increasing as so-called AI PCs gain traction (a 2 x 16 GB kit of Crucial Pro DDR5 RAM currently sells for around $390 on Amazon).
Given the current imbalance between supply and demand, SK Hynix internally projects that the DRAM market is unlikely to stabilize before 2028. However, this is just one of many assessments and not a definitive forecast – more optimistic outlooks exist. Edward Crisler, PR manager at Sapphire, for example, believes DDR5 prices could normalize within six to eight months, provided consumers avoid panic buying.
Source(s)
@BullsLab via X (formerly Twitter)
Image source: Pixabay Oimheidi/ cliffsmith23
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