Samsung is warning that the global memory squeeze will become more severe in 2027 than in 2026, a forecast that puts continued pressure on PC RAM pricing, workstation upgrades, server procurement and the cost of AI-ready hardware.
The warning came during Samsung Electronics’ July 30 second-quarter earnings call, as reported by PCMag and corroborated by the Associated Press. Kim Jaejune, a sales and marketing executive in Samsung’s memory business, said customer demand is outpacing production growth and that meaningful incremental supply is unlikely before 2028.
Samsung’s position is blunt: unmet demand this year is expected to roll into 2027, while memory manufacturing lead times can exceed three years. The company is already negotiating multi-year supply arrangements with AI-focused customers, a sign that hyperscalers are seeking to lock down DRAM, NAND and high-bandwidth memory capacity well ahead of delivery.
The shortage is not confined to HBM, the specialized stacked memory used beside AI accelerators. AI infrastructure demand is consuming manufacturing capacity and capital across Samsung’s memory portfolio, tightening conditions for conventional server DRAM and eventually the PC and mobile supply chains that use DDR5, LPDDR5X and NAND storage.
Samsung said its semiconductor business drove record quarterly results, while higher component costs contributed to an operating loss in the company’s mobile, TV and home-appliance division. That split matters: Samsung can benefit enormously as a memory supplier while its own device businesses still pay market prices for scarce components.
SK Hynix has issued a similar warning. Its leadership has characterized 2027 as potentially the industry’s worst supply year, reinforcing the view that the supply-demand imbalance is not a short-lived inventory correction.
That is an uncomfortable combination as Windows 11 workloads, Copilot features, local AI tools, virtual machines and enterprise endpoint-management agents all reward systems with 16GB or more. Organizations planning a 2027 refresh should avoid assuming that commodity DRAM will become materially cheaper on its usual cycle.
The practical response is to separate capacity planning from hope-driven budgeting:
For the Windows ecosystem, Samsung’s forecast is a useful early warning rather than a precise price guide. A new fab cannot fix a near-term shortage, and the company’s expectation of tight supply through 2028 means the next PC purchasing cycle may be shaped as much by memory allocation as by CPU roadmaps or Windows feature requirements.
Samsung’s position is blunt: unmet demand this year is expected to roll into 2027, while memory manufacturing lead times can exceed three years. The company is already negotiating multi-year supply arrangements with AI-focused customers, a sign that hyperscalers are seeking to lock down DRAM, NAND and high-bandwidth memory capacity well ahead of delivery.
AI servers are reshaping the memory market
The shortage is not confined to HBM, the specialized stacked memory used beside AI accelerators. AI infrastructure demand is consuming manufacturing capacity and capital across Samsung’s memory portfolio, tightening conditions for conventional server DRAM and eventually the PC and mobile supply chains that use DDR5, LPDDR5X and NAND storage.Samsung said its semiconductor business drove record quarterly results, while higher component costs contributed to an operating loss in the company’s mobile, TV and home-appliance division. That split matters: Samsung can benefit enormously as a memory supplier while its own device businesses still pay market prices for scarce components.
SK Hynix has issued a similar warning. Its leadership has characterized 2027 as potentially the industry’s worst supply year, reinforcing the view that the supply-demand imbalance is not a short-lived inventory correction.
Windows PCs may face a cost floor, not just higher list prices
For Windows users and IT buyers, the immediate consequence is less likely to be an overnight disappearance of memory modules than a longer period of constrained pricing and less generous configurations. OEMs can respond by raising prices, holding RAM capacities steady for another generation, or reserving higher-capacity configurations for premium systems.That is an uncomfortable combination as Windows 11 workloads, Copilot features, local AI tools, virtual machines and enterprise endpoint-management agents all reward systems with 16GB or more. Organizations planning a 2027 refresh should avoid assuming that commodity DRAM will become materially cheaper on its usual cycle.
The practical response is to separate capacity planning from hope-driven budgeting:
- Lock RAM and SSD specifications into device-refresh bids early, including pricing and substitution terms.
- Favor models with accessible SODIMM slots where upgradeability is still available.
- Audit endpoints that remain on 8GB configurations before memory prices make remediation more expensive.
- Treat high-memory developer, virtualization and AI workstation purchases as capacity-constrained equipment rather than routine PC accessories.
Samsung’s device roadmap will test the market
Samsung also used the earnings discussion to confirm plans for a Galaxy Tab S12 and Galaxy S26 FE, while maintaining a target to launch intelligent eyewear before the end of 2026. Those products will arrive as the company expects component costs to keep rising through the second half of the year.For the Windows ecosystem, Samsung’s forecast is a useful early warning rather than a precise price guide. A new fab cannot fix a near-term shortage, and the company’s expectation of tight supply through 2028 means the next PC purchasing cycle may be shaped as much by memory allocation as by CPU roadmaps or Windows feature requirements.
References
- Primary source: PCMag
Published: 2026-07-30T14:44:32+00:00
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