Micron CEO Expects RAM Shortage to Last Through 2027, Start to Ease in 2028

Micron, 1 of the largest planetary manufacturers of memory, expects the ongoing RAM shortage to past done 2027. That's according to Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, who said successful the company's Q3 2026 net study contiguous that the unprecedented request facing the semiconductor manufacture isn't letting up immoderate clip soon.

"We expect choky conditions to persist beyond calendar 2027 arsenic a effect of AI-driven request crossed each segments coupled with structural proviso constraints," Mehrotra said.

Semiconductors, the chips utilized to manufacture machine hardware similar RAM, the VRAM successful graphics cards, and SSDs, person accrued importantly successful terms implicit the past fewer years, chiefly owed to request for their usage successful AI information centers. Micron itself exited the user marketplace precocious past year, ending enactment for its consumer-facing marque Crucial, which made respective of our favourite SSDs and RAM kits, successful favour of its booming information center-focused business.

As a result, galore components and systems utilized to physique gaming hardware – ranging from RAM sticks unsocial each the mode up to afloat systems similar the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Steam Machine – person besides ballooned successful price. The Steam Machine successful peculiar was primitively expected to beryllium priced astatine astir $750, but alternatively launched astatine $1,050 owed to the outgo of the underlying hardware.

Mehrotra's comments unluckily mean the RAMpocalypse isn't ending anytime soon, and we tin expect these elevated hardware prices to instrumentality around.

"Even arsenic we expect manufacture proviso to amended gradually successful 2028, we presently bash not person enactment of show arsenic to erstwhile representation proviso volition beryllium capable to drawback up with expanding demand," Mehrotra said.

While lone clip volition tell, the mode things are going surely doesn't bode good for the inevitable PlayStation 6 oregon Xbox Project Helix launching astatine an affordable terms point.

Bo Moore is IGN's Senior Manager of Tech. You tin find him online @usebomswisely.