AI data centres are starving the rest of the market of RAM and other components, pushing up the price of PCs and everyday electronics.

TechCentral

A global memory chip shortage is driving sharp price increases for computer components and electronics. AI data centers are consuming high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and enterprise storage, causing manufacturers to shift production away from consumer DRAM and NAND flash. RAM prices have surged over 250% in some cases, with server computing projects seeing 40% cost increases. Smaller suppliers face supply disruptions while large manufacturers like Apple and Samsung remain protected by long-term contracts. Industry experts predict the shortage will persist for years, advising businesses to procure hardware sooner rather than later while the rand remains relatively strong.

The era of (relatively) cheap computers is over