Microsoft's gaming business shrank again in the first quarter of its 2027 fiscal year, which ended on September 30. Xbox revenue came in at $5.38 billion, down 2% from $5.51 billion a year ago, while Microsoft as a whole grew revenue by 19% to $92.3 billion. Content and services revenue fell 2%, and hardware dropped a bigger 14% on a lower volume of consoles sold. CFO Amy Hood said the overall Xbox decline was driven by third-party content and Xbox Game Pass, partly offset by growth in first-party games.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma, however, put a positive spin on the numbers in a post on X. She pointed out that the 2% decline is much smaller than the 10% drop a quarter earlier, and that margins improved. She also listed record results for Minecraft and World of Warcraft Forever, called Modern Warfare 4 Call of Duty's most acclaimed release in over a decade, and said PC platform revenue grew by double digits. As for hardware, Sharma claims console sales are being held back by supply, with demand currently outpacing the number of consoles available. She added that Xbox is working to get more units out to players, partly through an expanded refurbishment program.

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the foundation of every PC component, as they mount everything and connect the entire system using electrical components, wiring, and more. However, we are about to enter another phase of consumer electronics price hikes, as these PCBs are now experiencing severe component shortages projected to last until 2030. According to Nikkei Asia, an unnamed executive from an American PC maker told the publication that PCB manufacturers are confirming this situation, with some predicting that orders placed today may not be fulfilled until late 2028.

American PC Maker for Nikkei AsiaEven though PC shipments could decline again next year, we are still struggling to secure enough PCB supplies to meet our needs.

Michael Dell doesn't think the memory shortage is anywhere near over. Speaking with The Wall Street Journal, Dell's chairman and CEO said things will get worse next year, as the AI data center buildout keeps soaking up DRAM and HBM supply. According to him, the bottleneck for Dell isn't demand, since the company is sitting on roughly $95 billion worth of AI server orders it hasn't delivered yet, the largest backlog in its history. Memory is what's holding those shipments back, as AI accelerators need plenty of HBM, while the servers around them still rely on conventional DRAM.

Relief also looks quite far away. New memory fabs take around four years to build, so Dell apparently doesn't expect meaningful new supply until 2029 or 2030. That aligns with Micron's CEO, who recently said supply will be much tighter in 2027 and 2028 than it is this year. Interestingly, SK hynix's CEO said something similar, expecting the memory shortage to last through 2030. Dell is reportedly coping by buying DRAM only when final assembly is close and by locking in long-term supply agreements, though there's no word on how much of that applies to its consumer products.

Chinese NAND flash maker YMTC apparently expects the global memory shortage to last another three years. The claim comes from a profile of the company published by The Wire China, in which a YMTC employee, speaking anonymously, shared the outlook. The same employee said YMTC has raised prices for its chips and shifted capacity toward higher-margin products. The excerpt was shared on X by @jukan05, who read it as a NAND forecast, although the employee's wording covers memory in general. Three more years would put the end of the shortage somewhere around late 2029. This is one unnamed employee's words, of course, and not public guidance from YMTC.

That 2029 prediction is well past TrendForce's estimate, which has NAND flash supply loosening in the second half of 2027 as new capacity comes online. It sits closer to Micron's view, with CEO Sanjay Mehrotra saying last week that supply will be much tighter in 2027 and 2028. The shift in capacity matters too, especially for regular PC builders. Counterpoint Research ranked YMTC fourth in NAND bit shipments in Q2 with a 14% share, yet only fifth in revenue, since its product mix leans toward consumer applications. Moving capacity to higher-margin chips could leave less for consumer SSDs, even as YMTC works to double its wafer output with new fabs. Nevertheless, readers planning a storage upgrade shouldn't count on prices dropping anytime soon.

No one is exempt from the global DRAM shortage, and today Sony confirmed there might be a way for enthusiastic gamers to purchase the PlayStation 5 Pro console at MSRP. In Japan, Sony is running a lottery system that explicitly allows gamers with 60 hours of playtime to purchase the console. These playtime hours must have been earned in the two-year period between September 27, 2024, and September 27, 2026. The latter date marks a hard stop that Sony will track, preventing anyone from artificially increasing their playtime. Eligible gamers can apply to the lottery system by October 7, and those selected to buy the console at MSRP will be notified on October 26.

Once the notification email is received, the eligible owner must purchase the console by November 2, or these lottery spots will be returned for another drawing scheduled later this year. This is perhaps one of the strangest ways to purchase a console, but since DRAM shortages have been depleting Sony's stock for manufacturing new consoles, it at least allows gamers who are truly passionate about gaming and need to upgrade their hardware from any earlier PlayStation version to get better performance on the upcoming launch of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto VI game.

SK hynix expects the current memory shortage to persist through the end of 2030, with no clear signs of a slowdown yet, according to CEO Kwak Noh-Jung. Speaking after the company's groundbreaking ceremony for its new Indiana packaging facility, Kwak said any eventual slowdown would likely be the result of a gradual easing rather than the sharp price crashes memory markets have previously seen, per Reuters. SK hynix had previously flagged tight supply lasting through 2028 for commodity DRAM, so this latest comment pushes that prediction out further.

Kwak's reasoning is that memory products have moved away from being purely commodity parts. AI-driven demand has pushed customers toward customized DRAM and HBM configurations, which makes future demand easier for manufacturers to forecast and less prone to the abrupt oversupply swings that caused previous crashes.

Apple has reported record quarterly results for the second quarter, ending with $109.4 billion in revenue, highlighting the resilience of its business in recent months. The company is also one of the largest supply chain operators globally, manufacturing electronics across mobile, laptop, and desktop computing. When asked about recent memory inflation during an earnings call, Apple's CEO Tim Cook explained that the company has benefited from stockpiling memory inventory and reduced costs for some other non-memory components in its bill of materials (BOM) for each device. Additionally, Apple sources memory from three suppliers: SK hynix, Micron, and Samsung, while also exploring other options. This suggests that the rumored evaluations of YMTC for NAND Flash and CXMT for DRAM are accurate, and Apple is likely undergoing some form of regulatory approval.You can see the statement from CEO Tim Cook below.

In the sea of negative news surrounding the entire semiconductor industry, NAND Flash might be one of the few major components that will become abundant again. According to the latest report by TrendForce, the storage supply chain is expected to achieve balance by 2027, making it the only area of computing projected to stabilize. Although the demand for NAND Flash and all SSD storage solutions that rely on it is expected to remain in short supply for the rest of 2026, TrendForce forecasts that supply and demand will return to normal in 2027. This year, there will be about a 4-6% supply deficit compared to demand for the remainder of the year. However, the second half of 2027 is anticipated to finally bring balance to the supply chain, with no deficit in NAND Flash supply a year from now.

This supply balance is driven by several factors. First, increased production capacity from NAND Flash suppliers like SK hynix, Micron, Samsung, YMTC, and others is crucial. The increase in the number of wafers produced each month, along with process node upgrades, will significantly boost supply, bringing this commodity to balance after a long period of uncertainty. The second factor is the persistently weak demand from consumers, as consumer electronics prices have risen so much due to DRAM and NAND Flash shortages that many consumers are opting not to purchase new hardware, avoiding the high premiums compared to a year ago. On the enterprise side, server demand will continue to rise, consuming most of the NAND Flash supply. Server demand accounts for about 40% of output consumption, while smartphones and notebooks together account for more than 40%.

It's long been predicted that the launch of GTA VI would have an outsized effect on the gaming industry, with the list of game developers moving launch dates to avoid coinciding with the massive launch seemingly growing daily. Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two Interactive, and Corsair previously commented that GTA VI would boost console and PC sales when the game launched on the respective platforms. Now, according to a report by The Game Business, this sentiment is being echoed by retailers in the gaming industry. Although the news outlet does not mention the retailer by name for the sake of protecting the source, it reports that a senior games buyer commented that "We've been informed that because of the ongoing issues around hardware component availability, we won't be getting the units we want ahead of GTA. Demand will likely outstrip supply during the year-end period."

The crux of the issue seems to come down to the same ongoing component supply chain and pricing issues that recently resulted in a substantial price increase for both Xbox and PS5 consoles—the Xbox price increase is slated to go into effect three months before GTA VI launches. Console makers offer mixed reports, with Sony's CEO Hiroki Totoki telling investors in May that supply for the 2026 calendar year had already been secured. However, Xbox has been more transparent about the fact that demand for Xbox consoles "definitively" exceeds supply, despite the fact that production and logistics are at capacity making and distributing the consoles. GTA VI has already been listed for pre-order at a starting price of $79.99, and it seems as though Take-Two will stick to the announced November 19 launch date despite a number of prior launch delays.

TrendForce's latest research reveals that structural tightening in mature-node DRAM supply is forcing consumer DRAM buyers to adopt legacy memory products to secure larger supply allocations. This has triggered a new wave of demand for procuring older-generation DRAM components, driving continued price momentum across legacy products such as DDR2 and DDR3.

Following strong gains in 1Q26, TrendForce estimates DDR2 contract prices will rise by approximately 55-60% in 2Q26, followed by a further 35-40% increase in 3Q26.

Valve's Steam Deck OLED handheld gaming console pricing has increased significantly due to ongoing DRAM and NAND Flash shortages affecting supply chains worldwide. The price of the 512 GB edition of the Steam Deck OLED has risen from $549 to $789, a $240 increase, while the 1 TB version has jumped from $649 to $949, a substantial $300 hike. When the Steam Deck was first launched, it included a 256 GB version with an LCD panel, but Valve discontinued that model in late 2025, removing it from their lineup entirely. The LCD version had a MSRP of $399 and was the most affordable way to enter the Steam Deck ecosystem. Now, there are no relatively inexpensive options, with the lowest-priced Steam Deck being the 512 GB OLED version at $789.

This situation isn't surprising given that NAND Flash, the primary storage component, has seen prices skyrocket, with a staggering 500% increase over the six-month period ending in March. This increase is likely even higher now, as AI data center expansion has consumed much of the available storage. Like many consumer electronics manufacturers, Valve probably had a long-term agreement with storage suppliers for NAND Flash memory pricing that expired recently. Once their stock of NAND Flash purchased at previous prices was depleted, the company had to update its pricing policy on its website. The second picture is old pricing with the old LCD model still available.

According to TrendForce's latest survey of the NAND Flash industry, CSPs worldwide experienced an exponential surge in demand for enterprise SSDs in 1Q26 due to the need for high-speed data transmission and the massive data storage capacities required to build out AI server infrastructure. Additionally, a persistent structural shortage of traditional HDDs has led a significant volume of storage-related orders to shift toward QLC enterprise SSDs. Amidst this soaring demand and constrained supply, NAND Flash suppliers' ASPs broadly exceeded expectations. Hence, the combined revenue of the world's top five NAND Flash suppliers jumped 83.7% QoQ, surpassing US$38.9 billion.

Moving into 2Q26, the supply-demand imbalance is expected to persist. Although rising memory costs and higher end-product prices have dampened smartphone and PC demand, brisk server orders will fill this gap. NAND Flash suppliers generally anticipate continued growth in their shipments through the second quarter, and their pricing strategies are expected to sustain elevated ASPs.

Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) and Solid State Drives (SSDs) are among the most sought-after commodities in computing today, as the expansion of AI data centers consumes everything in its path. According to Seagate, Sandisk, and Western Digital, demand is so high that customers are signing long-term supply agreements lasting up to five years. This duration is significant because customers are now planning their contracts around demand expansion, which is not only substantial but will also bring better balance to the supply chain. With customers driving steady demand, HDD and SSD manufacturers know exactly how much spinning rust or NAND Flash to produce to meet this demand. Over time, this is a positive development for a supply chain that will adapt with expanding production capacity. However, it poses a short-term challenge for PC gamers.

For example, at the start of this year, we reported that HDD prices have soared by an average of 46% since mid-September. These changes have made spinning rust an expensive commodity, but this is minor compared to NAND Flash prices, which have increased 500% in just a few months. The expansion of AI data centers has depleted any remaining inventory of HDDs and SSDs, leaving the consumer PC market to compete for the few remaining units available for gaming PCs. Interestingly, HDDs contain almost no silicon for storage purposes, so their significant price increases are a supply chain issue unrelated to the semiconductor industry. Apart from the controllers that use silicon, HDD platters are made from materials that are not currently in short supply. However, high demand keeps their prices elevated.

Valve confirmed not too long ago that it had delayed announcing the pricing of the Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller because of the ongoing DRAM shortage and price volatility crisis that has plagued the PC hardware industry in recent months. Eventually, the gaming giant caved and announced the Steam Controller ahead of the rest of the hardware that was meant to ship alongside it, and in a recent interview with Polygon, Valve confirmed what we all suspected: The Steam Machine and Steam Frame are still being held back by the DRAM crisis. As Valve hardware engineer, Steve Cardinali, explained about the early launch of the controller: "This doesn't have RAM in it, and it's not as complicated to start getting out the door for us. We're ready for it. We wanted to build up quantity so that we could try to address everybody who wants one at launch, but it's possible that the demand for it far exceeds our expectations."

He goes on to explain that there was never a hard-and-fast rule that the Controller, Frame, and Machine had to launch together, although he confirmed that Valve would not launch the Machine ahead of the Controller. It's safe to assume, then, that the Steam Machine and Steam Frame were originally meant to launch around May as well—Cardinali says that the Controller and Machine are "a pair made in heaven," so it only makes sense to try to launch them around the same time, even if "there's no point in holding it back while we work through the other stuff." According to VR industry insider, Brad Lynch on X, the Steam Machine is more severely affected by the memory supply issues than the Steam Frame, since it relies on on-package RAM and on mobile RAM, which doesn't appear to be as severely impacted by the shortages. Reading between the lines, it seems entirely possible that the Steam Frame may launch ahead of the Steam Machine as long as RAM prices remain elevated and unstable.

Sony recently announced sweeping price increases for the PlayStation 5, which meant that, as of April 2, the PS5 base would cost $649.99, while the Digital Edition would cost $599.99, and the PS5 Pro rose to a whopping $899.99. According to industry analyst, Mat Piscatella of Circana Reseach, the announcement of a price increase resulted in a buying rush for the PlayStation 5 towards the end of March and during the first week of April.

As a result of this buying rush, PlayStation 5 sales reached an annual high for 2026 during the first week of April. The increase in sales amounted to a nearly 100% increase in year-over-year console hardware sales when compared to the same week in 2025. Part of this increase in sales can almost certainly be explained by the threat of further price increases down the line, which are expected to result in launch pricing of the PS6 sitting at around $800. With no end to the current DRAM supply issues in sight, it makes sense that some prospective PS5 buyers would want to get hold of the hardware before they are priced out, although it remains to be seen how Sony plays the launch of the PS6.

Earlier this week we reported that the memory shortage was going to persist until late 2028, but news out of Korea now suggests it might stick around all the way until 2030. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won is quoted by The Korea Times saying that "The shortage stems from a lack of wafer capacity, and securing additional wafers takes at least four to five years," continuing "We expect the industry-wide supply shortfall to persist at over 20 percent through 2030."

The company is apparently looking at ways to stabilise pricing, but as to when this will happen, is anyone's guess at this point in time. In this specific case, it's down to SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung to try and resolve the immediate situation. SK Group doesn't seem interested in building fabs outside of South Korea either, as Chey also told The Korea Times that "Korea already has the infrastructure in place, allowing for a much faster response. That is why we are concentrating our efforts here." There is at least some good news here, as it doesn't seem like SK hynix will put its entire focus on HBM memory, as the company is aware that might lead to further shortages of DRAM, which will affect the broader tech industry.

The acute shortage of DRAM and NAND flash memory could shut down many consumer electronics companies by the end of 2026, Phison CEO Chien Chen Pang warned in an interview with Chen Ning Kuan of Taiwan's Era News. The Phison CEO warns of a "massive die-off" among consumer electronics companies designing cost-effective products that use even the smallest amounts of DRAM and NAND flash components (think TV set-top boxes, Wi-Fi routers, smart TVs, etc). For instance, an 8 GB eMMC chip used in smart TVs rose in pricing from $1.5 in early 2025, to nearly $20 now. Extrapolate this to the vast selection of products priced under the $100-mark, and you can see how component prices could wreck the consumer electronics industry.

Pricing is only half the problem, the other is supply. Memory is now an extremely supplier-driven market, with manufacturers onboarding orders up to three years into the future (i.e. you order now, your DRAM chip reels won't arrive before 2030. All this said, the crisis could fade by the end of the decade as memory manufacturers build more foundry capacity, and industrial pressure causes geopolitical changes, such as the re-entry of Chinese DRAM and NAND flash companies. Phison is a leading manufacturer of NAND flash-based storage device controllers powering SSDs, flash drives, and memory cards.

Valve updated its Steam Deck website with a disclaimer, noting that the availability of the Steam Deck OLED version may be affected by the storage and memory shortage across the industry. While Valve has been able to secure a significant inventory of NAND Flash and DRAM modules for its Steam Deck handheld console, demand might be outpacing supply. The component shortage at Valve is not an isolated case, as many are expressing concerns over not being able to secure sufficient capacity. The only ones able to secure massive DRAM and NAND Flash capacities are hyperscalers building out data center infrastructure, who are securing long-term agreements with storage and memory makers.

Last week, we saw customers facing difficulty acquiring new Steam Deck OLED stock. Unfortunately, potential buyers in North America, Japan (through Komodo, Valve's regional distribution partner), Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong were unable to get their hands on new OLED units. Initial reports suggested a "plentiful" supply for customers in the UK and Australia, but several key markets appear to be suddenly experiencing shortages, as the inventory is depleting across the globe. While other components are plentiful, memory and storage are in a dire shortage situation, which might be prolonged. Regarding the 256 GB LCD version, Valve has reiterated that it will only be available while existing stock lasts, as this model was discontinued in December of last year.

Mid-way through the week, computer game hardware observers started to notice the dwindling availability of Valve's Steam Deck OLED handheld. The popular portable gaming PC first launched almost three years ago, first releasing as the LCD screen-based version. The 256 GB LCD model was discontinued last December, leaving the more expensive OLED options—in 512 GB and 1 TB configured forms—in charge of keeping Valve's handheld legacy alive. Unfortunately, prospective buyers—in North America, Japan (via Komodo—Valve's regional distribution partner), Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong—are unable to acquire new OLED stock. Initial reportage has highlighted a "plentiful" supply for UK and Australia-based customers, but several key market territories are seemingly affected by a sudden shortage. At the time of writing, Valve has not commented on this head scratching situation.

A lack of official announcements has driven online community speculation; mainly about possible dry spells of Steam Deck-related component shipments. Presently, the two OLED SKUs utilize 16 GB of unified LPDDR5-6500 RAM, paired with 512 GB or 1 TB NVMe SSDs. The ongoing computer memory and storage crisis has caused plenty of price fluctuation chaos throughout late 2025 and early 2026. Coinciding with troubled times (November 2025), Valve unveiled a new wave of Steam products. As of this month, the Bellevue, Washington-based corporation has remained schtum about the launch MSRP of its Steam Machine. In a worst case scenario, fearful portable and SFF gaming hardware enthusiasts are imagining forthcoming price hikes of Steam Deck OLED hardware, and $1000+ cost of ownership for Valve's second attempt at breaking the mini PC market.

Intel and AMD have reportedly warned customers in China about tightening server CPU supplies, with delivery times stretching significantly and prices already moving higher. According to Reuters, average prices for Intel server processors in China have increased by more than 10%, depending on contract terms, while delivery times for some Xeon models have extended to as much as six months. The situation appears most severe for Intel's fourth and fifth-generation Xeon processors, where backlogs are reportedly building fast. AMD is facing similar, though less extreme constraints, with some server CPU orders now quoted at eight to ten weeks for delivery. China remains a major market for both companies, accounting for over 20% of Intel's total revenue, and includes customers such as large server OEMs and cloud operators like Alibaba and Tencent. The supply crunch is being driven by a mix of factors, including surging demand tied to AI infrastructure and so-called "agentic AI" systems, which significantly increase CPU requirements alongside GPUs.

Manufacturing limits are also having a negative effect with Intel admitting supply issues linked to manufacturing and yield problems, while AMD relies on TSMC, which now gives priority to high-profit AI chips. Rising memory costs in China have put more pressure on the market, with buyers rushing to buy CPUs to avoid paying more for complete systems later. Both companies say they are working to improve supply. Intel told Reuters its inventory hit a low point in Q1 but expects gradual improvement through 2026, while AMD stated it remains confident in its ability to meet demand based on supplier agreements and its partnership with TSMC. For now, however, customers may still be facing higher prices and longer waits for server CPUs.

According to Nikkei Asia, some of the biggest PC makers like ASUS, Acer, Dell, and HP are exploring alternative memory suppliers amid industry-wide memory shortages, which are forcing PC OEMs to seek supply even from Chinese memory maker CXMT. Late last year, CXMT unveiled its homegrown DDR5-8000 and LPDDR5X-10667 memory modules at the 2025 China International Semiconductor Expo. This has likely prompted many OEMs to start finding alternatives to the traditional triad of SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron, whose supply has been very limited outside AI accelerator workloads.

CXMT offers 12 Gb and 16 Gb LPDDR5X capacities, while DDR5 scales to 16 Gb and 24 Gb module formats. The 16 Gb DDR5 chips from CXMT measure 67 square millimeters, with a density of 0.239 Gb per square millimeter. The G4 DRAM cells are 20% smaller than CXMT's previous G3 generation. Reportedly, CXMT manufactures these chips using a 16 nm node, which is three years behind Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron in manufacturing capabilities. However, CXMT is progressing quickly, and its DRAM modules adhere to the official JEDEC specifications and even exceeding the specification, making them ideal for OEM PCs depending on the use case.

Market research firm Niko Partners is indirectly encouraging consumers to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 before prices rise. Their 2026 forecast report highlights ten significant trends, warning that the console's current pricing is under pressure to increase. The research indicates that Nintendo may stop offering its $449 base model and instead sell only bundles priced at $499 or higher, effectively raising the price by at least $50. This projection is based on several ongoing issues: U.S. tariff pressures, rising memory component costs, and broader economic instability, which have already led Sony and Microsoft to increase their console prices after launch.

While Nintendo has kept the console's launch price stable, accessory costs have quietly increased, suggesting suppliers are already passing on higher expenses. According to Niko's analysis, the combination of tariffs, rising memory component prices, and general economic instability will likely compel Nintendo to follow Sony and Microsoft in raising hardware prices post-launch. Last December, Nintendo faced a roughly 41% increase in the cost of the 12 GB LPDDR5X modules used in the Switch 2, while the price of 256 GB of NAND flash rose by about 8%. A price increase will be necessary for Nintendo to maintain the viability of the Switch console, as the company cannot absorb all these costs alone. As DRAM and NAND prices continue to rise, these console price hikes may only be the beginning, and the coming weeks will likely show if this news is manifested in the market.

It's no secret that gaming is suffering under something of an affordability crisis, with increased demand for AI-capable GPUs and DDR5 memory resulting in rising prices for gamers and other far-reaching side effects on the gaming hardware market. Now, though, fresh leaks suggest that things are only going to get worse in 2026. According to Korean publication, Newsis, both AMD and NVIDIA are planning to gradually and permanently increase GPU prices "over the next several months." This is expected to start as early as January 2026, when AMD is expected to increase prices. NVIDIA will allegedly follow suit in February.

If the publication's insider sources are correct, the NVIDIA RTX 5090, which launched at $1,999, will reach as high as $5,000 before the end of the year. No prediction has been made for AMD's RX 9000 series, but memory has already been said to take up as much as 80% of the average GPU BOM cost, and memory prices are expected to increase by as much as 40% by Q2 2026. We've already reported on the fact that instability and price increases in the DRAM market will likely affect launch windows for upcoming hardware, potentially reaching as far as next-gen console launches, and ASUS recently announced that it would be increasing hardware prices starting in early January 2026, despite also increasing DDR4 motherboard production in response to the changing market.

We recently covered a rumor that ASUS was planning on expanding its DDR4-compatible motherboard production and theorized that it might be a way to offer inexpensive build options to PC gamers in the midst of a growing DRAM shortage that continues to drive the price of DDR5 and NAND through the roof. It seems as though this may have been a correct estimation, as ASUS recently announced (via DigiTimes) a 2026 price hike on SSDs and DRAM kits, which will come into effect on January 5, 2026. While ASUS directly mentions DRAM and SSDs in its announcement, it doesn't specify which products will see a price increase, although it's easy to speculate where the effects will be felt the hardest—laptops, PC builds, smartphones, video cards, and gaming handhelds immediately stand out as victims.

ASUS says the price increase has become necessary after it has been "absorbing and responding to cost pressure over an extended period," and it blames supply chain pressure caused by increased demand from the AI industry for the price increases. This isn't entirely unexpected, and it was one of the potential outcomes industry insiders discussed in a prior rumor that suggested upcoming hardware launches may be delayed as a result of the DRAM shortage. The far-reaching effects of the DRAM crisis may extend to next-gen gaming consoles as well, which have been predicted to be delayed to well after the expected 2028 launch period.

We've already seen the myriad far-reaching effects of the DRAM crisis play out in a number of ways, including bring-your-own-RAM offerings from custom PC builders and rumors of delayed next-gen consoles. However, a new report out of DigiTimes claims that DRAM producers, specifically mentioning Samsung and SK Hynix, are now selectively prioritizing certain hardware makers. Allegedly, large brands like Apple, ASUS, Dell, and Lenovo are receiving priority access to DRAM, which may result in smaller vendors—the likes of Framework—without DRAM supply.

The report also mentions that DRAM suppliers are starting to change their approach to the supply agreements, more frequently re-assessing the situation in order to take advantage of the limited capacity and likely adjust pricing and supply accordingly. Previously, we covered a report that claimed PC hardware vendors may have to adjust pricing, specs, and potentially launch dates of upcoming laptop and smartphone offerings, and these agreements are likely being pursued by mainstream brands, like Apple, ASUS, Dell, and Lenovo, in order to avoid or mitigate that eventuality.