Samsung Says the Memory Crisis Will Get Worse, so You Have Two Options.
Earlier this month, Nikkei Asia reported that the ongoing memory crisis shows no sign of abating anytime soon. There’s currently massive demand for RAM, as AI companies are actively purchasing this equipment for their ever-expanding data centers. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of memory manufacturers worldwide and limited resources to actually produce these chips. Essentially, there are only three key players—SK Hynix, Micron Technology, and Samsung—and while they’re all ramping up production, it doesn’t appear to be enough to meet demand in the near future.
Samsung will not be able to meet the demand for memory this year.
Now Samsung has officially confirmed this. During a conference call following the release of financial results this week, Samsung’s head of memory chip manufacturing, Kim Jae-joong, stated, “Our supply is significantly behind customer demand… based solely on current demand for 2027, the gap between supply and demand in 2027 is expected to widen further in 2026.” This confirms much of the Nikkei Asia report, namely, that Samsung is unable to cope with current demand levels and expects this situation to persist throughout the next year.
It’s important to note that these companies aren’t necessarily seeking to increase production of consumer-grade RAM components; rather, AI companies are seeking high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to power their energy-intensive processes. However, without sufficient HBM supply to meet demand, companies will continue to purchase conventional RAM components, putting pressure on the consumer market. Samsung says it expects HBM revenue to more than triple in 2026 compared to 2025.
Even if you don’t buy RAM itself, many of the products you buy are affected by this memory crisis. If a device runs on a computer, it almost certainly requires RAM to function. Therefore, smartphones, computers, fitness trackers, cars, smart home devices, audio equipment, and much more will feel this pressure—and, as a result, their prices may rise.
You have two options for surviving a memory crisis.
With all signs pointing to an imminent memory crisis, you as a consumer have two options to survive this crisis. First? If you need a new device, buy it now—and, if possible, at a discount. Judging by reports over the past month, there’s little reason to expect price reductions, so don’t expect major players to offer their latest devices at a lower price than previous models.
However, this doesn’t mean you have to pay inflated prices. Perhaps the best way to buy new technology is to buy used . Check out the refurbished and refurbished sections at stores like Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart—if the device meets certain cosmetic requirements (and, of course, works properly), you can get something that will look like new without overpaying. You can also take advantage of educational discounts offered by some companies, even if you’re not a student or teacher. Apple will give you a significant discount on a new MacBook if you use their educational store .
If your existing technology is still working, I’d advise you to take the second option: hold on tight and don’t let go. If you don’t need a new computer, phone, smartwatch, or something similar, don’t spend money just yet—especially if you see the device lasting another year or more. There are ways to make your aging technology feel new —or at least newer than it did before. This includes converting your existing devices into something different but just as useful: instead of buying a new laptop, you could install Linux to speed things up and gain more control over the operating system; instead of buying a new phone, you could turn yours into a feature phone , breaking the habit and saving money at the same time.
We know that memory manufacturers don’t expect supply to meet demand until at least 2027; perhaps if that happens, prices will stabilize and the time will be right to buy new technology.