Companies Warn You Won't Be Able To Afford A Gadget Until 2028

Key Points:

• The global RAM shortage driven by AI demand is expected to persist until at least 2028, with no clear timeline for when supply will catch up with demand, according to Micron's CEO Sanjay Mehrotra.
• Lenovo predicts that even with increased manufacturing capacity, RAM prices may remain high or even continue rising through 2030 due to ongoing demand from AI hyperscalers like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google.
• Financial analysts at Jeffries forecast multiple significant RAM price hikes through 2027, including increases of 40-50% in Q3 2026 and 30-40% in Q4 2026, with only modest price relief expected in 2028.
• These rising memory costs are likely to drive up prices for gaming consoles, PCs, and other electronics, potentially impacting the affordability and release strategies for next-generation devices such as Microsoft's Project Helix and Sony's PS6.
• Industry experts warn that delaying upgrades or new console launches may not help consumers avoid higher prices, as the memory supply-demand imbalance is projected to worsen before it improves.