Dell and HP issue formal warning over RAM shortage

Companies have begun hoarding RAM as artificial intelligence data centers begin to consume the world's resources, leading to increased prices for others. Counterpoint research expects the average price increase to be 50 percent, but we've even seen some soar by 110 percent.

If this shortage continues, it will affect more gamers who build their own computers. Every tech device uses RAM, which means it can drive up the prices of TVs, phones, and even medical equipment.

Report from Bloomberg clarifies that AI does not consume all RAM. Rather, there are two types of RAM: one for processing tasks and the other for storing information. Because DRAM is used in artificial intelligence tasks, it sells for a lot of money as companies look to focus on this type. This means that anyone who needs a different type of RAM will have to pay more for it as supplies are now dwindling.

On a call with analysts, Dell's chief operating officer said he had never seen “spending move this fast.” He also mentioned that sales of NAND flash memory are also growing. The company is trying to work on its configurations and product mix to compensate for this, the company said. Bloomberg, but the executive still warns that customers will likely see prices for its products rise.

In Canada, exclusive PC manufacturer Qupted Tech published on Redditsharing that even with the rising cost of RAM, the bigger challenge now is getting RAM at all. Since there is a shortage, it looks like it is instantly sold out to bigger players. However, supply companies hope that the situation will be resolved by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

An HP representative told the publication that the last half of 2026 will be the most difficult. To compensate, the company is considering aggressive pricing, finding new memory modules, and simply packing less RAM into some products. They also noted that the cost of RAM is 15-18 percent of the total cost of a typical computer.

It's pretty tough for all of us, but if you're a memory manufacturer like SK Hynix Inc., you're having a great year. The report even mentions that SK Hynix has already sold its entire batch of chips for next year. Lenovo also hopes to overcome this situation thanks to its extensive supply chain, but Bloomberg mentions that the company is still acknowledging the unprecedented price increases.

Apple is also confident that since it is a leading customer for many in the supply chain, it will be able to leverage its capabilities to maintain manageability. The company appears committed to managing costs well, but CFO Kevan Parekh noted that some “new products have a slightly higher cost structure.” There's nothing else to write home about, but I'm guessing that since Apple already prices its RAM upgrades at a high price, it should be set up to weather this storm.

Source: Bloomberg